Cities occupy a pivotal role in advanced European economies, acting as a launch pad for raising productivity and leading the wider renaissance of the regions they are located in. But although EU and national urban policy has placed a great deal of emphasis on dealing with severe deprivation in cities, there is still relatively little evidence about the economic relationship between cities and their regions. This means that urban and regional planners have little experience to draw on when deciding how best to drive competitiveness in city regions. The COMPETE network focuses on enabling cities to fulfil their potential as drivers of urban renaissance and as critical economic assets in their regions. Its main purpose is to allow a representative group of major regional cities across Europe to share and exchange experience on strategies that nurture and enhance city competitiveness in a way that supports the overall economic success of Europe’s region