• Press area
  • Press releases
  • Photo gallery
  • Contacts
• Library
  • Documents
  • Videos
  • Useful links
• Events
  • European events
  • Thematic workshops
  • Local energy days
• Questions?
• Contacts

Supporting Structures

The Covenant of Mayors is open to cities of all sizes in Europe. Those cities and towns which do not have sufficient resources or to draft and implement their own action plan should be supported by administrations with such capacities.

Supporting Structures are defined as those public administrations that are in a position to provide strategic guidance, financial and technical support to municipalities with the political will to sign up to the Covenant of Mayors, but lacking the skills and /or resources to fulfil its requirements, namely the preparation and implementation of Sustainable Energy Action Plan. These Supporting Structures can be national and regional public bodies, counties, provinces, agglomerations, mentor cities etc.

Typical tasks include:

• Promoting accession to the Covenant of Mayors among municipalities in their area and providing support and coordination to those municipalities signing up;
• Providing technical and strategic assistance to those municipalities willing to join the Covenant but lacking the necessary resources to prepare a sustainable energy action plan;
• Providing financial support or opportunities to the municipalities for expenditure related to SEAP preparation;
• Supporting implementation of SEAPs and organisation of local energy days to raise awareness; and
• Reporting regularly to the Commission on the results obtained and participating in the strategic implementation of the Covenant.

A second type of supporting structures are networks of local and regional authorities that commit to improve the Covenants’ impact by promoting the initiative, liaising with their members, facilitating exchange of experience and defending common interest in the adequate fora.

Supporting Structures also have a vocation to keep a close contact with the European Commission to ensure the best possible implementation of the Covenant. Supporting Structures are recognised by the Commission as key allies in conveying the message and increase the impact of the Covenant.

• List of Supporting Structures
• How to become a Supporting Structure?

Local and regional energy agencies may provide useful support for Covenant signatories. For a list of local and regional energy agencies, signatories are invited to consult the ManagEnergy website .