On 8 March, the European Commission adopted a Recommendation designed to help Member States support their towns and cities in cutting transport emissions and improving urban mobility. The 430 major cities along the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) will receive support to develop their Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs).

The Commission recommends putting in place national programmes to support urban mobility planning and implementation, managed by a dedicated office. Support for cities should include guidance materials, training programmes and capacity building, as well as technical expertise and financial support.

Peer learning and networking between cities and towns will be encouraged through the sharing of good practices. Coordinated awareness-raising campaigns are also envisaged. The Commission will invite representatives from national programme management offices to work with the new Expert Group on Urban Mobility. Member States are expected to inform the Commission annually of actions taken in the light of the Recommendation.

As a follow-up and a commitment to the Commission’s 2021 Urban Mobility Framework, the Recommendation updates the concept of SUMPs to integrate the latest policy developments and strategies to reduce road fatalities in cities, address climate change, and make use of new mobility services. These policy developments prioritise the most affordable and sustainable transport modes such as such as public transport, walking, cycling, shared mobility services and zero-emission urban logistics.

You can read the full text of the Recommendation here.