[The international project of healthy cities: conceptual basis and perspectives for its development in Spain]

The authors present the conceptual foundations of the international Healthy Cities project of the European Office of the World Health Organization. The future of municipal public health services in Spain after the General Health Act of 1986 is discussed, since it plans the integration of all health services in the public sector within a National Health Service. In this context, the potential to develop health promotion initiatives from the local government is discussed. The objectives and development of the Spanish Healthy Cities network are also presented.