On 9 December, the European Commission launched its Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy together with an Action Plan of 82 initiatives that will guide its work on mobility over the next four years.

The strategy shows how the EU transport system can become green, digital and more resilient to future crises. As outlined in the European Green Deal, the result will be a 90% cut in emissions by 2050, delivered by a smart, competitive, safe, accessible and affordable transport system.

Speaking about the strategy, Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean said: “As the backbone that connects European citizens and business, transport matters to us all. Digital technologies have the potential to revolutionise the way we move, making our mobility smarter, more efficient, and also greener. We need to provide businesses a stable framework for the green investments they will need to make over the coming decades. Through the implementation of this strategy, we will create a more efficient and resilient transport system, which is on a firm pathway to reduce emissions in line with our European Green Deal goals.”

Some of the milestones and actions identified in the strategy include: helping 100 European cities reach climate neutrality by 2030; engaging with cities to ensure that all large and medium-sized cities that are urban nodes on the TEN-T network put in place their own sustainable urban mobility plans (SUMPs) by 2030; and improving and expanding bicycle infrastructure.

The above – and more – will be further developed within a revised EU Urban Mobility Strategy, planned for summer 2021. It will be based on the results of the evaluation of the 2013 Urban Mobility Package, which is due to be published in early 2021.

To read the Strategy in full, click here.