Over 70% of EU citizens live in cities which generate 23% of all transport greenhouse gas emissions. The Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy stresses the need for inter-urban and urban mobility to become more sustainable, smart and healthy. To this end, the European Commission proposed a new urban mobility initiative that complements the proposal for revised guidelines for the Trans-European > Transport Network (TEN-T revision).

The proposal foresees that all major cities (‘urban nodes’) on that network must develop by 2025 a sustainable urban mobility plan. The new European Urban Mobility Framework outlines a common list of measures and initiatives for these cities, as well as the remaining cities in the EU, to meet the challenge of making their mobility more sustainable.

Its objectives include:

  • contributing to EU Green House Gas reduction targets as set in the Climate Law (including -55% by 2030)
  • improving transport and mobility to, in and around cities as well as improving the efficiency of goods and home deliveries.

This is done by:

  • setting a common European framework with measures including guidance on how to address air pollution, congestion, accessibility, urban road safety, growth of e-commerce, and other urban mobility challenges.
  • increasing the support for, and share of, sustainable transport modes (in particular public transport and active mobility such as walking and cycling) as well as zero-emission urban logistics;
  • promoting a coherent and integrated approach to ensure high-quality sustainable urban mobility plans;
  • better monitoring progress in implementing urban mobility policies and measures with a coherent approach to sustainable urban mobility data collection;
  • fostering the integration of innovative mobility services into urban transport systems and increased digitalisation for sustainable urban mobility
  • maintaining long-term competitiveness and technology leadership in the urban transport sector;
  • strengthening the involvement of all Member States and building continuous dialogue with cities, regions, and other stakeholders on all major urban mobility issues.

Source: European Commission