European Cities for Sustainable Public Finances – CSPF
A leap towards transparency, accountability and sustainability of public finances
European Cities for Sustainable Public Finances – CSPF – is a European reference group in local public financial management that unites the Chief Executive Officers/Chief Financial Officers and Finance Managers of the Cities of Amsterdam (NL), Barcelona (ES), Bordeaux (FR), Hamburg (DE), the City of London Corporation (UK) and Trondheim (NO) in order to
- Create a space for the exchange of experience and knowledge sharing on economic and financial local government topics
- Improve the comparability of financial data among European cities
- Enhance the quality, effectiveness, efficiency and accountability of public sector management.
This initiative is managed by KDZ and supported through active participation and partnership by the European Commission – Eurostat.
News
Online Meeting
21 February 2023
CSPF members and KDZ team met to discuss future activities.
Bologna
16 December 2022
"City Debate" within the Executive Master of PMI of the Bologna Business School (BBS)
BARCELONA
21/22 NOVEMBER 2022
The CSPF is holding with all its members and the European Commission its 5th meeting in the dynamic City of Barcelona, addressing the thematic challenges of SDG 10 (reducing inequality) and KPIs monitoring tools and performance evaluation.
TORONTO
3/4 OCTOBER 2022
Alexander Heichlinger, CSPF Chair, is invited as a key note speaker to the-this year Urban Economy Forum (#UEF) in celebration of the UN’s World Habitat Day, to be held in Toronto (CA). www.ueforum.org
Barcelona
17 July 2022
Presentation of "Oportunidades de financiacion para el despliegue de proyectos urbanos," in the 1st Foro de las Agendas Urbanas Locales (Catalonia, Spain)
BLOGS
July - August 2022
A series of short blog articles on the outcome of the 4th CSPF meeting in Vienna
- CFOs FROM EUROPEAN CITIES DISCUSS DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION by Carlos Perona
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CYBER SECURITY FOR OUR COMMUNITIES by Joe Pichlmayr
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LET DATA WORK FOR OUR CITIES! by Jeroen Geelhoed Matthieu Guerlain and Alexander Heichlinger
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EPSAS UPDATE by István Varjas
Barcelona
23+26 May 2022
Barcelona will host its International Week within the framework of the Bologna Business School’s Executive Master of Public Management and Innovation for representatives from Emilia-Romagna.
ESPAS Task Force Working Group in Luxembourg
17/18 May 2022
CSPF Co-Chair Domroes Torsten will present developments in the group’s work at the European Commission’s ESPAS Task Force Working Group in Luxembourg.
4th CSPF-Meeting in Vienna
12/13 May 2022
On the 12th and 13th of May, the CSPF will hold its 4th meeting, focusing on “Digital Finances” addressing new, disruptive technologies issues such as datafication, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital skills, and their implementation compatibly with citizen rights.
Artice in ÖGZ (AUT)
31 March 2022
The ÖGZ (Österreichische Gemeindezeitung) published an article on sustainable municipal financing in the CSPF framework co-authored by our own Dalilah Pichler and Alexander Heichlinger.
City of Nuremberg (GER)
18 February 2022
The CSPF’s working methods and objectives were discussed during a meeting between senior city management from the German City of Nuremberg, PwC representatives and the Chair of the CSPF.
University of Barcelona
08 February 2022
The CSPF was referenced during the opening lecture of the University of Barcelona Advanced Public Management Master programme.
Mission and Objectives
Mission
CSPF aims at creating a joint space for the exchange of experience and knowledge sharing in the field of economic and financial local government topics. It is a forum for thinking together and improving the comparability of financial data among European cities and for enhancing the quality, effectiveness, efficiency and accountability of public sector management.
CSPF unites larger European cities that build on the core values of the respective organisations and that strive towards a different way of doing politics – politics that are committed to quality management, sustainability, liquidity and resilience of public sector finances as guarantors of Europe’s economic competitiveness, its social policies and thus ultimately the wellbeing of its citizens.
Objectives
- To create real and practical dialogue about cutting-edge issues
- To advocate sound financial management, transparency and sustainability in European cities
- To maintain a strong link with and support of European policy formulation through showcasing strong local European experiences
- To contribute to European capacity building (knowledge transfer), i.e. regarding the EPSAS project of Eurostat.
Approach
The city members meet twice per year in one of the partner cities. Through practical presentations and discussions, the involvement of key thought leaders and a challenge-based approach (“Please help sessions“) a balanced mix of external input and peer learning is ensured. The success of the approach relies on building personal relationships among community members and developing an active passionate group. To this end, prior to each meeting, the city members are (often) asked to prepare specific inputs to facilitate discussions and the exchange. Joint lessons learned are captured and shared among the members and participants at the end of each meeting.
The uniqueness of this collaboration consists in the fact that fiscal and financial management issues are discussed for the first time from a cross-border perspective at city level. It is a timely initiative as public sector financial practices are still fragmented within Europe and its individual countries.
Meetings
7th Meeting: 2023-21-22/11 AMSTERDAM
Topics presented and discussed:
- Key Take-Aways
- Road-map 2024
6th Meeting: 2023-05+07/06 VIRTUAL
Topics presented and discussed:
5th Meeting: 2022-21-22/11 Barcelona
Topics presented and discussed:
4th Meeting: 2022-12-13/05 VIenna
Topics presented and discussed:
3rd Meeting: 2021-12-02/03 Virtual
Topics presented and discussed:
- Securing „old“ and establishing „new“ city revenues beyond Covid-19
- Sustainability – The changing role of the CFOs
- New roadmap 2022/2023
2nd Meeting: 2021-05-27/28 Virtual
Topics presented and discussed:
- Clean and affordable energy (SDG 7)
- Cities´ Post Covid Recovery Strategies
- Key Take Aways
1st Meeting: 2020-12-10/11 Virtual
Topics presented and discussed:
- Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11)
- Climate Action (SDG 13)
If you are interested in further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Member Cities
CSPF comprises the CEOs, CFOs and Finance Managers of the Cities of Amsterdam (NL), Barcelona (ES), Bordeaux (FR), Hamburg (DE), the City of London Corporation (UK) and Trondheim (NO).
It is managed by KDZ, which also accompanies and supports the group with its experts.
For a brief overview of the member cities, have a look at the "CSPF Chairpersons & City Members" and the “City Facts”.
History
European Cities for Sustainable Public Finances (CSPF) was officially launched under the auspices of KDZ on 26 June 2020. It brings together the CEOs, CFOs and Finance Managers of the Cities of Amsterdam (NL), Barcelona (ES), Bordeaux (FR), Hamburg (DE), the City of London Corporation (UK) and Trondheim (NO).
Moreover, as European reference group in local public financial management, it counts on the active participation of the European Commission – Eurostat.
CSPF is the successor of the so-called European City Economic and Financial Governance (CEFG) Group, which was created in 2014 by the City of Barcelona and the European Institute of Public Administration, Barcelona (EIPA Barcelona), as well as five further major European cities to discuss fiscal and financial management issues from a cross-border perspective at city level. Proven results and successes of the group led to various group extensions and a wealth of outputs and insights produced.