Metropolitan Regions and Areas
The majority of the people of Europe live and work in cities and urban regions. Within the wider Europe there are some 120 metropolitan regions and areas, which are the larger centres of economic and social life.
They contain core business, cultural and governmental functions and their wellbeing is vital to the sustainability, competitiveness and social progress of Europe, and the quality of life of its people.
What we do
METREX – short for Metropolitan Exchange – is an established network of over 50 metropolitan regions and areas in Europe.
METREX contributes the metropolitan dimension to policies, programmes and projects on a European scale. The network is a partner of European institutions, the research community, governmental organisations and other networks.
METREX hosts regular events and meetings for Members, either through Expert and Network Groups, our online METREXmonthly events, or bi-annual conference. We contribute to programmes and events organised by networks as part of European Union-funded projects.
Five Metropolitan Approaches
METREX supports Metropolitan Regions and Areas in solving urgent challenges
Metrex contributes to effective policies.
Metropolitan Regions and Areas formulate constructive feedback on abstract EU policies and regulations they are working with across their territories.
Metrex contributes to a common policy framework.
Metropolitan Regions and Areas translate their approaches into principles that are available for all European regional and local authorities.
Metrex accelerates urgent transitions.
Metropolitan Regions and Areas demonstrate situational leadership on pressing issues which enables excellent followership for others. This accelerates the journey to finding tailored solutions.
Metrex enables integrated thinking.
Metropolitan Regions and Areas come together on specific issues to build the capacities required to cope with the complexity of current challenges.
Metrex shares knowledge and experience on urban and rural themes.
To continuously improve the performance of our Metropolitan Regions and Areas, METREX actively links experts to learn from each other’s best experiences and practices on current and emerging topics.
We are ‘Living Labs’.
Metropolitan Regions and Areas invest in pilots and research across their territories that focus on workable solutions with maximum impact.
Managing Committee
Jakub Mazur
President of METREX
First Deputy Mayor of Wrocław
Adriana May
Vice-President of METREX
Representing Regione Lombardia
Christina Suomi
Vice-President of METREX
Head of Unit, Strategic Urban Planning, City of Helsinki Urban Environment Division
Miguel Ángel Crespo Rico
General Director of Spatial Planning Diputación Foral de Gipuzkoa / Gipuzkoa County Council
Ignacio De La Puerta Rueda
Director for Territorial Planning, Urbanism and Urban Regeneration, Basque Government
Thomas Kiwitt
Director Planning (Leitender Technischer Direktor), Verband Region Stuttgart, Germany
Łukasz Medeksza
Deputy Director of the Strategy and City Development Department Municipality of Wrocław
Erik Pasveer
Head of Strategy of urban planning and sustainability City of Amsterdam
Sébastien Rolland
Town planner and urban designer at the Lyon Town Planning Agency (Urbalyon)
Sandeep Shingadia
Director of Development & Delivery, Transport for West Midlands
Secretariat
Henk Bouwman
Secretary General
[email protected]
+31 (0) 654 295 377
Stephen Gallagher
Head of Secretariat
[email protected]
+ 44 (0) 7840 436844
