The European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) has reported on the submission of “a joint letter to the EU institutions” in which “leading local and regional governments and transport networks —including POLIS, ICLEI Europe, Eurocities, European Metropolitan Transport Authorities (EMTA), European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF), UITP, and EIT Urban Mobility— have welcomed DG MOVE’s initiative to launch the Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP).”
Here, we share the full ECF statement, written by ECF Policy and Development Director Philip Amaral.
As part of the Commission’s broader effort to boost Europe’s competitiveness, the STIP has the potential to reinforce the critical link between sustainability and economic resilience. The current proposal highlights renewable and low-carbon fuels for aviation and waterborne transport, the deployment of recharging infrastructure, and rail digitalisation.
However, these challenges also affect urban and regional mobility. For this reason, the signatories of the letter argue that only by adopting a transformative approach to urban and regional mobility can the STIP truly become a cornerstone for achieving the EU’s sustainability, equity, and competitiveness goals.
The investment opportunity is considerable: achieving sustainable urban mobility will require €1.5 trillion by 2050, with €500 billion necessaryed for implementation alone. Yet the returns are equally compelling: every euro invested in cycling yields returns ranging from 3,6 to 12,3 euros. Cycling, for both transport and tourism, generates hundreds of billions of euros in health, environment, health and mobility benefits for wider society. The STIP can also act as an investment plan for this approach.
To unlock this potential, STIP must have a strong urban and regional focus. Urban nodes, recognised within the TEN-T framework, will be required to adopt and monitor Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) from 2027. These will cover entire functional urban areas and demand high-capacity, inclusive mobility solutions to remain competitive.
Investing in sustainable urban mobility will also have positive impacts on the local economy, generating jobs, both directly in operations, construction, and maintenance, and indirectly on sectors such as retail, tourism, and real estate, as well as producing significant external cost savings through lower pollution, less congestion, and better health outcomes.
Finally, public transport and shared mobility are vital for meeting climate goals, enabling the shift to low-carbon, resilient transport systems. As the EU transitions towards carbon neutrality, the STIP can assist establish lead markets for a broad range of European industries, as well as for SMEs and start-ups, positioning cities as hubs of innovation and green development.
To maximise the STIP’s impact on European competitiveness, the letter presents the following key recommfinishations:
1. Clearly define the urban mobility scope of STIP.
2. Promote competitiveness through urban mobility investments.
3. Establish frameworks to enable investment and implementation.
4. Link future MFF instruments to STIP urban mobility priorities.
The STIP represents a timely and strategic opportunity to accelerate sustainable transport solutions across Europe’s urban nodes. With complementary strategies, this can be a powerful instrument to support cities and regions, paving the way to achieve meaningful and lasting modify.
“A Sustainable Transport Investment Plan would be great way to harness EU and Member State funding to transform how people and goods shift in Europe’s cities to truly sustainable modes of transport such as cycling, public transport and walking. Making the right financial investments can assist cities take the steps necessaryed to build necessaryed infrastructure and reallocate public space that invites people to create the sustainable transport choices.” Philip Amaral, Policy and Development Director, European Cyclists’ Federation.
Read the full letter here.
Sharing the news via LinkedIn, ECF President, Henk Swarttouw, comments:
“To boost Europe’s competitiveness, we necessary to reinforce the critical link between sustainability and economic resilience.
“These challenges also affect urban and regional mobility. Achieving sustainable urban mobility will require €1.5 trillion by 2050. Yet the returns are compelling: every euro invested in cycling yields returns ranging from 3,6 to 12,3 euros. Cycling, for both transport and tourism, generates hundreds of billions of euros in health, environment, and mobility benefits for wider society.
“Investing in sustainable urban mobility will also have positive impacts on the local economy, generating jobs, both directly in operations, construction, and maintenance, and indirectly in retail, tourism, and real estate.”
About the European Cyclists’ Federation
ECF is the European umbrella federation of civil society organisations advocating and working for more and better cycling. The ECF harnesses the power of the European cycling shiftments to promote cycling as a sustainable and healthy means of transport and leisure.
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