How to apply

Eligibility requirements

All cities from EU countries and Single Market Programme countries (Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Türkiye and Ukraine) are eligible to apply to the ECoSR awards.

For this competition, a ‘city’ is defined as an administrative unit governed by a city council or another democratically elected body.

Cities must meet the following population requirements

• small cities: 5 000 – 50 000 inhabitants
• medium cities: 50 000 – 250 000 inhabitants
• large cities: More than 250 000 inhabitants

Population figures should be based on the most recent census or official population statistics. 

Applications are now closed. Thank you to all cities that submitted proposals. Applications for the 2027 title year are expected to open again mid-2026, please stay tuned.

Evaluation in progress

The ECoSR evaluation process is underway, with all the applications carefully evaluated to identify cities to be shortlisted in each category that excel in showcasing innovation, impact, and potential for replication of good practices in supporting small retail across Europe. Shortlisted and winning cities will receive European recognition, promotional support, and opportunities for knowledge exchange.

What happens next?

Even though applications for ECoSR 2026 are now closed, cities interested in participating in future editions can start preparing now. Understanding the evaluation criteria, gathering evidence of impact, and learning from best practices will give your city a head start and ensure a stronger application when the next call opens again.

Selection process