The New European Urban Mobility Framework

Over 70% of EU citizens live in cities which generate 23% of all transport greenhouse gas emissions.

The European Commission released a new Urban Mobility Framework to support the transition to cleaner, greener, and smarter mobility to help the European Union reduce greenhouse gas emissions (by at least 55% by 2030 and by 90% by 2050), and to stay aligned with the objectives of the European Green Deal.

This new initiative, released on 14 December, aims to make urban mobility more sustainable, smart, and healthy. It consists of four proposals that will modernise the EU’s transport system and put it on track to cutting its emissions by 90%:

  • Increase connectivity and shift more passengers and freight to rail and inland waterways.
  • Support the roll-out of charging points, alternative refuelling infrastructure, and new digital technologies.
  • Place a stronger focus on sustainable urban mobility.
  • Make it easier to choose different transport options in an efficient multimodal transport system the proposals

Furthermore, this new framework announces a more ambitious approach to sustainable urban mobility planning (SUMPs) and related indicators which complements the proposal for revised guidelines for the Trans-European Transport Network.

This ambitious approach to sustainable urban mobility planning detailed will be followed up by a study in 2022 to map and clarify which digital solutions are available to enable more effective and user-friendly low-emission zones and other types of urban vehicle access regulation.