City of Phoenix Accepted into EU Cities Gateway Program

The City of Phoenix and the Phoenix Public Works Department are excited to announce the city’s acceptance into the prestigious European Union Cities Gateway North America Program. This program connects cities in the U.S., Canada, and Europe to work together on challenges like reducing waste and protecting the environment.

Phoenix will be part of a group focused on the circular economy—a way of reusing, recycling and repurposing materials instead of throwing them away. This helps reduce waste, save resources, and support local businesses that turn waste into useful products.

The Cities Gateway Program is a European Union funded program running from 2025-2028, designed to strengthen cooperation between cities and regions in the EU, the U.S., and Canada. Building on the Global Covenant of Mayors in North America and the International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) in North America, the program enhances transatlantic collaboration by bringing local entities together to co-develop practical solutions to shared urban and regional challenges and promote forward-looking urban transformation.

"Phoenix is home to creative entrepreneurs, academics, and businesses who are turning waste into resource by creating new products from materials that were once destined for the landfill," Mayor Kate Gallego said. "I'm proud that Phoenix's circular economy expertise is recognized among some of the world's most innovative communities in the EU Cities Gateway Program. Through this collaborative initiative, we're excited to share strategies to reduce waste, strengthen local economies, and make our cities more sustainable.” 

Within the circular economy cluster, Phoenix will be participating in peer-to-peer exchanges and working sessions, co-designing pilot projects that address local and global urban challenges, joining site visits and international events to share experiences and showcase results, and benefitting from a network of experts and resources to support the city's Zero Waste and Circular Economy initiatives. 

“We are honored to be a part of the EU Cities Gateway – North America Program,” said Felipe Moreno, director of Public Works. “The City of Phoenix has long been a leader in waste diversion and circular economy efforts through our innovative programs and partnerships, and we look forward to collaborating with the other program participants.” 

Other selected cities for this cluster include Boulder, Colorado, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, Greater Porto Region, Portugal, Albacete, Spain, and Riga, Latvia.