Kranj on conference in Vilnius, Velenje with EU Mission Label

From May 6 to 8, the 4th edition of the Cities Mission Conference took place in Vilnius, Lithuania, under the theme “Harnessing City Successes: Advancing Climate Action for 2030.” Co-organised by the European Commission and the Cities Mission Platform (NetZeroCities), the event gathered around 1,000 participants, including representatives from the 112 Mission Cities, EU institutions, private sector actors, and other stakeholders committed to accelerating the green transition.

On this occasion, the City of Kranj presented its progress in implementing projects and achieving goals under the mission, highlighting its pilot project UP-SCALE, which is coming to an end in May. The project will soon make a sustainable route planner (Maas application) available to the public.

The Cities Mission Mayors Advisory Group, which includes Kranj’s mayor Matjaž Rakovec, also met during the event. The discussion focused on the new financial framework for the period 2028–2035, with Mission Manager Patrick Child also attending the meeting.

During the conference, the European Commission awarded the EU Mission Label to an additional 23 cities, including Velenje, meaning that all three Slovenian Mission Cities – Ljubljana, Kranj, and Velenje – now officially hold the Mission Label. This recognition confirms their ambitious plans and progress towards climate neutrality. Mayor Rakovec congratulated Velenje's Mayor, Peter Dermol, live on the spot.