On November 27 and 28, 2025, Nice will be the meeting point for European cities committed to quality public spaces. Parc Phoenix will host the European Meetings of the Association of Cities for Urban Cleanliness (AVPU), organized in collaboration with the Nice Cรดte d’Azur Metropolis. The event will include the presentation of the first European Cleanliness Trophies.
For two days, elected officials, local agents, and urban cleanliness professionals will gather in Nice. The European Meetings of the AVPU will allow for the exchange of best practices, evaluation methods, and strategies to raise awareness among residents. The event is co-organized by the Nice Cรดte d’Azur Metropolis and the AVPU, created in 2010. This association now brings together cities from all over France, as well as European partners, around a single goal: improving the cleanliness of public spaces and highlighting efforts made to citizens.
In 2022, Nice achieved the 5th star of the EcoClean label, the highest distinction awarded by the AVPU. It then became the only major French city with more than 200,000 inhabitants to receive this recognition.
Beyond cleaning, Nice was also awarded for its communication efforts. It won the 1st national Grand Prix in 2022 and the 2nd Grand Prix in 2021 during the French cleanliness awards. These distinctions recognize the actions led by the Metropolis’s Cleanliness Directorate and overseen by Pierre-Paul Lรฉonelli, the mayor’s deputy and vice president of the Metropolis in charge of cleanliness and waste collection.
A workspace for sharing
The AVPU was born from a collective effort launched in 2009. From its inception, the association developed a common tool: the Objective Cleanliness Indicators (OCI). This reference framework allows member cities to assess their cleanliness levels based on measurable and comparable criteria. The results, confidential for each city, can be used to adjust local policies and inform residents.
The association operates on a collaborative basis. Its presidency is entrusted to an elected official, the vice-presidency to a local agent. Thematic clubs regularly bring together small working groups around specific topics. They develop recommendations that are then shared with all members.
The goal is twofold: to make progress on the ground and improve users’ perception of cleanliness. The AVPU also organizes national meetings and, this year, a major European event.
The first European Cleanliness Trophies
The novelty of this 2025 edition lies in the presentation of the first European Cleanliness Trophies. These awards will honor cities that have undertaken innovative, effective, or inspiring actions in urban cleanliness. The criteria will consider measured results on the ground as well as awareness campaigns or citizen involvement initiatives.
The event at Parc Phoenix will feature conferences, round tables, and field visits. Informal exchange sessions will allow participants to share their experiences. The organizers hope that these meetings will strengthen cooperation between European communities on cleanliness and public space maintenance issues.
Through this initiative, the AVPU aims to promote a coordinated and measurable approach to urban cleanliness. For its members, it is also a means to highlight work that is often invisible but essential to the well-being of residents.
