Efus_Manifesto2026_ENG by Efus

Manifesto Security, Democracy and Cities

2026

The European Forum for Urban Security is the only cross-party European network of local and regional authorities dedicated to reflection, cooperation, and support for elected officials and their teams on urban security. Created in 1987, it brings together nearly 250 cities and regions from 17 countries. Recognised for its expertise by national and European institutions, Efus is a network representative of the diversity of territories which promotes, beyond political divides, the exchange of experiences between communities.

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

WHY A MANIFESTO?

MANIFESTO

THEMATIC RECOMMENDATIONS

How is it produced? How to use it?

Taking immediate and long-term action without letting fear dictate policy Focusing on inclusiveness The necessary alliance between security and human rights Resilient cities, resilient citizens For cities and regions of freedom, security and justice

Why a Manifesto? The European Forum for Urban Security’s (Efus) Security, Democracy and Cities manifesto expresses the principles on which our action has been based ever since our foundation in 1987. It includes a political declaration on our shared vision of urban security as well as a comprehensive series of practical recommendations on 18 topics of urban security. As such, it is a reference for our members and a roadmap they can use to guide their policies and local action for the next five to 10 years. How is it produced? The Security, Democracy and Cities manifesto is the product of a collective writing process between Efus member local and regional authorities, its network of experts and collaborators in universities, European and international organisations and other specialised networks, as well as Efus’ staff and associated experts and consultants. Its content is based on the knowledge garnered at the local level by Efus’ members as well as insights from European Union-funded projects that Efus has led or participated in, and the input and expertise from our partner organisations and networks in Europe and beyond. How to use it? The manifesto can be used as a reference by Efus member local and regional authorities when drawing up, reviewing or evaluating their local urban security policies and programmes. For local and regional authorities, organisations and individuals who are interested in urban security, it encapsulates the principles on which our network is founded, our vision of urban security, and our approach on the ground. 3

The Security, Democracy and Cities Manifesto European cities offer citizens spaces of safety, freedom and wellbeing, which, albeit unfortunately unevenly distributed, remain unique in the world. We, the cities and regions that are members of the European Forum for Urban Security (Efus), recognise the benefits that the construction of Europe has brought to our fellow citizens, first and foremost peace. Today, however, lasting peace is under threat, as we are reminded by the war on our eastern borders. The very principles of democracy are being undermined by populist governments, but also by governmental failures that undermine governments’ credibility. Across Europe, we are witnessing several serious challenges facing European local and regional authorities, the first being polarisation in all its manifestations, but also widening inequalities and tensions that pose a major risk for our societies. We, local and regional authorities, are dealing each day with emergency crises and long-lasting challenges and are doing so with increasingly limited resources. Gender-based violence in all areas and fields of life, particularly at institutional level, is one of the most serious types of structural violence. Violence linked to drug use and trafficking concerns and worries all communities today, whatever their size. The vulnerability of our citizens, particularly young people, and of our towns and cities to organised crime should encourage us to mobilise all sectors in a coordinated fashion to prevent and limit such violence. Increasingly frequent and intense climatic disasters, from the north to the south of Europe, are a new and major challenge facing local authorities.

Taking immediate and long-term action without letting fear dictate policy It is essential that local and regional authorities refuse to let fear and a sense of powerlessness dictate their response. Security is a common good and a fundamental component of democracy. It must be co-produced through active citizen participation: priority must be given to forms of participation based on principles of solidarity. Similarly, we must ensure that such coproduction mechanisms involve civil society in all its diversity.

Focusing on inclusiveness We recognise that real inclusiveness is a challenge given the diversity and ﬂuidity of urban populations (residents arriving, others leaving, changing demographics in some urban areas, migrants, tourists, night-time revellers vs. daytime workers…) and a certain lack of consistency between local, national and European policies. We are concerned to see latent vulnerabilities becoming more palpable in cities. In recent years, a succession of crises, notably the pandemic, has given rise to mental health problems. Our experience shows without a doubt that the more socially integrated and invested people are in their local community, the safer they feel. It is thus important for us to work together to strengthen social cohesion, because the more inclusive a city is, the safer it is.

The necessary alliance between security and human rights Respect for human rights must be integrated as an overriding objective and essential element of any security policy, for all types of violence and crime. Our response must be systematically anchored in the respect not only for the rule of law, but also for universal human rights. Now fully recognised as a Sustainable Development Goal by the United Nations, security must be seen not only as a fundamental human right, but also as a key condition of sustainable development. The prism of sustainability can help us strike a balance between the immediacy of a risk and the need to make long-term investments in society. As such, when it is part of the social development of cities and human capital, prevention is necessarily the most rational choice.

Resilient cities, resilient citizens The crises linked to climate change, after the Covid crisis which followed a wave of terrorist attacks in and against European cities, have also revealed the extent to which citizens and cities are resilient. Indeed, local authorities and citizens have demonstrated an impressive capacity for solidarity and action during these recent crises. By demonstrating their solidarity, citizens are giving us hope in our collective ability to react to and prevent multiple threats and encouraging us to adopt a global and proactive approach to urban security as opposed to the paralysing logic of fear. However, in light of the social, economic and security challenges facing Europe's cities and institutions, certain political currents are defending the closure not only of our borders but also of our minds. By rejecting the fatalism of an anxiety-inducing climate, we are assuming the responsibility of identifying and investing in areas where there is room for manoeuvre and potential for development.

For cities and regions of freedom, security and justice At a time when some citizens are expressing their distrust of national or supranational governing bodies, while at the same time expressing strong confidence in their local governing bodies, European cities and regions have a major role to play in the design and implementation of safety policies based on a balance between prevention, sanction and social cohesion. This is why it is important for us to have direct city-to-city collaboration on all aspects of urban security, not only within our respective countries, but also on a European and even global scale and beyond our political affiliations. This is what our forum, the European Forum for Urban Security, is all about. As European local and regional authorities, we have the capacity, the knowledge and the tools to help ensure the security of citizens. Since we are, by our very nature as local governments, close to citizens, we know that inclusiveness is the key to security. With this in mind, we are committed to working to make our cities ever more fair, just and safe.

Our thematic recommendations Audits & Methodology Crisis management Discriminatory violence Drugs and addiction Gender equality & Gender-based violence Innovation and technology Juvenile Delinquency Large events Mediation & Security-related professions Mental Health Organised crime Participation, Communication & Disinformation Polarisation & radicalisation Police and justice Public Spaces Security continuum The city at night Find all our thematic recommendations on our website efus.eu