Györ
Its size and population (129,000 inhabitants) make Györ the sixth largest town in Hungary. In addition to the stability of traditional industries like machinery, textiles, food and construction, there has been fast growth in the electronics industry, the retail and wholesale trade sector and in customer services (banking, insurance, etc.). Foreign investments created a great number of new workplaces, reducing the unemployment rate to around 4 percent. However, because many of these jobs are for low-skilled workers who are easily replaceable, Györ is now working to attract investments in research and development to create jobs for highly educated personnel.
Priorities of the city’s strategic plan include improvements in the transportation infrastructure, waste management and environmental protection, education and sports facilities and the support schemes for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Hungary’s integration in the EU will require that the assessment of local environmental consequences and risks is given much more attention to in the future. Györ’s participation in the environmental/solid waste cluster of the Cities of Change Network is just one of the actions addressing these environmental challenges.
Györ left the Cities of Change Network after the first project phase in June 2002.