Haarlem was declared European Rising Innovative City in 2022. The award is an initiative of the European Innovation Council, which supports innovation in Europe in business and public administration. The municipality won the award owing to the innovative manner in which it is working together with businesses – including in the C-District – and residents to meet local climate objectives. 

In the creative sector, the project Cinema VRiations**,** coordinated by the cultural centre Schuur in Haarlem, was selected for support (up to EUR 100 000 per project) under the 2nd edition of Europa Cinemas’ COLLABORATE TO INNOVATE. Projects should, inter alia, promote the visibility of European films and increase audiences, especially among young people. 

Spaarne Werkt (Spaarne Works) is a new social enterprise for Haarlem, Heemstede, Bloemendaal and Zandvoort. This organisation works on behalf of the municipalities in order to assist people who have trouble finding employment to access suitable job opportunities. As a central municipality in the labour market region of South Kennemland and IJmond, Haarlem receives a subsidy from the European Social Fund Plus. The sum requested for 2023 was EUR 705.800.

The municipality of Haarlem took part in the European programme Empower 2.0. As part of this, a pilot project was run in Haarlem where residents who cannot use their own roof for solar panels invest in cooperative solar power installations on the rooftops belonging to others. Examples include installations on the roofs of the Mendel College and R.K.S.V. Onze Gezellen sports complex.