The importance of transport’s social dimension is becoming increasingly clear - mobility shapes lives and prospects. It is crucial that transport systems are environmentally friendly, inclusive, efficient, and centred on meeting diverse user needs. Yet how can this be accomplished?

Under the banner of "Mobility for U and Me", this year's CIVITAS Forum Conference will gather hundreds of policymakers, city representatives, academics, and practitioners in Umeå (Sweden) from 19-21 September to debate this critical question.

Over these three days, they will also witness the pioneering sustainable urban mobility measures moving Europe towards an inclusive and multimodal mobility future. With 2018 declared the "Year of Multimodality" by Violeta Bulc, the European Commissioner  for Mobility and Transport, the Forum comes at the perfect time.

High-profile speakers at the event include Lena Erixon, Director of the Swedish Transport Administration; Maja Bakran Marcich, Deputy Director-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE), European Commission; and Stina Nilimaa Wickström, Vice President of Product Design, Volvo Group.

Exciting and insightful sessions hosted by selected experts will delve into the most urgent mobility topics, including multimodality, Mobility as a Service, co-creation, e-mobility, and smart mobility solutions.

Programme highlights include:

Take-up and transfer sessions

A new feature this year, these enable participants to get hands-on with and see cutting-edge urban mobility tools and methods in action. Engaging formats such as walkshops and study tours await.

Site visits

Umeå is one of Scandinavia's leading exponents of sustainable urban development and mobility. A series of site visits will reveal why, including tours of the city's smart university district and gender-sensitive infrastructure.

CIVITAS Awards

The CIVITAS Awards showcase Europe’s most forward-thinking sustainable urban mobility policy and measures. These will be given out on the Forum's second evening in a ceremony at Umeå's cultural hub, the Folkets Hus.

Registration and programme

Attendance is free of charge.

To explore the latest draft programme and to register, click here.

Three new videos have been launched showcasing the sustainable mobility activities of the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK award winners for 2017. The videos were filmed on location in Vienna (Austria), Igoumenitsa (Greece), and Turda (Romania), and feature interviews with key mobility experts within the municipalities.

Each video showcases how the award-winning city is working to make sustainable transport the number one choice for citizens. The Austrian capital’s popular bicycle-sharing system – which now includes cargo-bikes – is highlighted, as is the expansion of the Viennese metro system, as well as the city’s efforts to increase the number of journeys made by foot.

In Igoumenitsa, the municipality is working to change the mobility culture, promoting cleaner and healthier ways of getting around. To reduce the use of private vehicles, the Greek city is implementing measures to improve public transportation.

The drafting of Turda’s Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan forms the focus of its video, particularly efforts to save residents time and hassle in getting from A to B.

Through these videos, viewers are granted a look at the innovative activities and measures that led these cities to success at the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Awards ceremony in Brussels.

To view the video on Vienna, click here.

To view the video on Igoumenitsa, click here.

To view the video on Turda, click here.

On 10 July, a kick-off event for the planning of EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK was held in Ankara, Turkey. The event was organised by the Union of Municipalities of Turkey, who are responsible for the national coordination of the campaign in Turkey. Jerome Simpson (EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK European Secretariat) joined around 100 enthusastic participants in discussing how the upcoming campaign will take shape across the country this year from 16-22 September. Among the participants were representatives from nearly 70 towns and cities.

The Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Turkey, Christian Berger, mentioned that previous years had seen around 7 municipalities participate in the campaign, and that hopes were high to top this number in 2018. He added, "Our municipalities are of course the first to get involved in finding a solution whenever we face a problem in today's cities. And we mark Mobility Week in Turkey in the third week of September each year. Our main theme has to do with getting more people to use public transport. But what needs to be emphasized here is the diversification of modes of mass public transport. Our efforts on this theme are ongoing."

Göktug Kara, Transport Sector Head of Unit at the Delegation of the European Union said “We hope to get a record participation this September and with almost 1400 municipalities being members of the Union of Municipalities of Turkey, there is no reason why we can’t rank alongside Austria’s five hundred plus annual registrations!”

For a list of current reigstered cities in Turkey, click here.

Interview with the the City of Igoumenitsa (Greece), winner of the inaugural EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Award 2017 for smaller municipalities.

Q. What activities did your city undertake to help it win the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Award? Were there any activities that you are particularly proud of?

Our activities were designed to include all social groups, particularly young people willing to change their modes of movement. Information kiosks, school seminars and various competitions were organised on the topic of "Cycling and walking in the city: benefits for me and for us all!" Walking and cycling were promoted as a form of a cooperative mobility within the wider urban system.

In collaboration with the city's stakeholders, several events took place in public spaces to show how the city centre could be without cars. Citizens were invited to try out alternative modes of urban transport, free of charge. We are proud to have held activities for all social groups, particularly the elderly and disabled people.

Q. What has the reaction been among citizens and stakeholders to the city winning the award? What does winning the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Award mean to the city?

The response of both citizens and stakeholders was very positive - in some cases extremely enthusiastic! Smaller municipalities, like Igoumenitsa, have acquired all the problems and habits of big cities. The award will give them the opportunity to realise the issues and start working towards sustainable mobility, helping to define and organise efficient and less polluting mobility system for both goods and passengers.

Q. What are the benefits of taking part in EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK for your city?

In the context of EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK, information was collected about residents' needs and wishes in terms of improving their modes of mobility. In collaboration with other cities and stakeholders, we promoted actions that helped us to create a vision in terms of development and sustainability that would improve the city's infrastructure, the existing urban and peri-urban green areas, and protect the environment in general. 

Q. What advice would you give to cities that are looking to take home the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Award?

The key steps are to ensure the participation of diverse target groups, gain the participation of local stakeholders, take advice from other cities who have many years of experience (in our case Trikala and Xanthi), promote events through social media, and hold special events for elderly and disabled people. Practically, it is also necessary to record and submit details of all of the activities that took place during the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK.

Interview with the City of Vienna (Austria), winner of the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Award 2017 for larger municipalities.

Q. What activities did your city undertake to help it win the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Award? Were there any activities that you are particularly proud of?

VIENNA: I suppose the jury is best placed to answer this first question! We are especially proud that we were able to motivate many partners in Vienna to join EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK. Together we provided a programme with more than 50 activities and events throughout the city.

A highlight during EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK each year is the “Streetlife Festival”, Vienna’s car-free event. It combines fun and sustainable mobility-issues in a remarkable way – which is highly appreciated by the audience. More than 20,000 people visit every year.

Q. What has the reaction been among citizens and stakeholders to the city winning the award? What does winning the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Award mean to the city?

VIENNA: The acknowledgment of Vienna’s work for sustainable mobility at the international level is a great honour for us. The City of Vienna has set itself the goal of increasing the share of journeys made by its residents on foot or by bike. This award encourages us to continue our efforts to achieve this goal. EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK shows, in a remarkable way, that European Cities are united to reach climate targets. We are proud to be among these cities.

Reactions among citizens and stakeholders were positive. The team working to realise EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK received many compliments.

Q. What are the benefits of taking part in EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK for your city?

VIENNA: The City of Vienna has set itself the goal of increasing the share of journeys made by its residents on foot or by bike. During EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK we take the chance to stress the efforts Vienna has put into place to achieve this goal: at events, through communications campaigns, and so on.

Q. What advice would you give to cities that are looking to take home the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Award?

VIENNA: The path is the aim! It is important to motivate people to ride their bicycles, walk or take public transport, increase sustainable mobility and decrease pollution - winning the award is just the icing on the cake!