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Opening of the Access City Award 2027 - European Union Access City Award

Updated : 01/07/2026

The image shows a view of a city, with buildings, river and trees. At the top left is #EUAccessCity, in white letters. At the bottom left, ‘ACCESS CITY AWARD’ in white and ‘2027’ in green. At the bottom right is the logo of the European Commission, with the flag of the European Union and the text ‘European Commission’.

The Institute for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, I.P. (IDiPD), informs that the application period for the Access City Award 2027 is open, an initiative of the European Commission, in collaboration with the European Disability Forum, which distinguishes cities in the European Union that take accessibility as a key priority to ensure the full participation of persons with disabilities in society.

Since 2010, this award has recognized cities that develop innovative policies, strategies and solutions to make their spaces, services and infrastructures more accessible, promoting autonomy, independence and quality of life for all people. Accessibility is an essential element to ensure that persons with disabilities can live independently and participate fully in the community. An accessible city is one where everyone can move around in public space, use transport, access public buildings and services, obtain understandable information and communicate with local entities on an equal basis.

The invitation to tender shall be open to:

• cities in the European Union with more than 50 000 inhabitants;

• urban areas consisting of two or more localities with a combined population of more than 50 000 inhabitants, in the cases provided for in the Regulation.

As Applications must be submitted by 4 September 2026 at 12:00 (CEST). via the official platform: https://access-city-award.ec.europa.eu/

Interested cities should fill in the application form online and submit the required documentation, including the declaration of the City Council, declaration of honour, legal entity form and financial identification form. It is also possible to submit a PowerPoint presentation with the main elements of the application.

The finalist cities will be invited to the award ceremony on 4 December 2026 in Brussels as part of the European Day of Persons with Disabilities conference. The prizes awarded will have a value of:

1st place – EUR 150 000;

2.º Place – EUR 120 000;

3º seat – EUR 80 000.

The 2027 edition also includes a Special Mention for “Accessible Community Services”, to recognise cities that promote independent living for persons with disabilities and the transition from institutional models to community-based responses, through accessible and inclusive local services. Other special mentions may also be given to cities presenting relevant results in areas such as accessible public services, inclusive communication, technological innovation, accessible cultural heritage or smart solutions for inclusive cities.

The Institute for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, I.P., encourages Portuguese municipalities to participate in this European initiative, contributing to the construction of cities that are more inclusive, accessible and respect human rights.

Get inspired and access the videos of the winners of the Access City Award 2026, HERE.