The EU Cycling Declaration and the European Year of Cycling 2024

A lot of progress has been made in our campaign for an EU Cycling Declaration and a European Year of Cycling in 2024. On the back of Croatia becoming the 15th country to sign the European Bicycle Declaration and the European Parliament passing its resolution on an EU Cycling Strategy – both of which called for 2024 to be designated as the European Year of Cycling – Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans announced that an EU Cycling Declaration would be revealed this year. This will be an inter-institutional declaration and it is expected that it will include ambitious cycling plans. The declaration is expected to be published at the Urban Mobility Days conference in Seville on 4-6 October! 

In May, ECF sent a letter signed by 33 of its member organisations to the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. In it, we requested that 2024 be designated as the European Year of Cycling. A European Year is a public awareness campaign which highlights a certain issue, with the aim of encouraging ideas and generating new innovations in that area. It is up to the Commission to propose the theme for the European Year, which is then debated and approved or rejected by the Parliament. As the Parliament has already expressed its support, the focus is now on convincing the Commission. Find out how you can help here!

The revision of the TEN-T guidelines: an opportunity for better integration of cycling

In April of this year, the European Parliament’s Transport Committee adopted its report on the new TEN-T guidelines. TEN-T is the Trans-European Transport Network, a network of roads, railways, airports and water infrastructure in the EU. This report expresses the Parliament’s position on the proposed revision of TEN-T guidelines presented by the European Commission in December 2021, and comes after the Council of the EU adopted its “general approach” in December 2022.

The report states that infrastructure investments within the TEN-T (such as motorway and railways) should take walking and cycling into account, especially within functional urban areas. This came on the back of much ECF advocacy for better integration of cycling into the TEN-T and was a welcome development in the legislative process. The final shape of the revised regulation is still the subject of negotiations between European institutions. Keep up to date on the progress of our TEN-T campaign here.

The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive

As a key initiative of the “Renovation Wave”, the EU is revising the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. In March, the Parliament agreed on a progressive set of amendments, calling on Member States to implement minimum requirements for bike parking spaces in new and renovated buildings. This was a wonderful result following years of ECF advocacy to have minimum bicycle parking included in the legislation. However, although the Parliament’s amendments do address some of the shortcomings of the original proposal from the Commission, it is still possible for local authorities to trigger opt-out clauses.

The three institutions are now in trilogue negotiations and we are pushing ahead with our advocacy in this stage. You can read our position paper on the negotiations here!

The Pan-European Master Plan for Cycling Promotion

ECF has been taking part in a group of experts convened by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) to help with the implementation of the Pan-European Master Plan for Cycling Promotion. The group focuses on the development of a trans-European cycle network, ways of defining the bicycle, improving cycling infrastructure and the standardisation of cycling road signs.

The Pan-European Master Plan for Cycling Promotion was adopted in May 2021 as part of the Vienna Declaration, covering 54 countries across North America, Europe and Asia. The plan is a political acknowledgement of the growing importance of cycling as a mode of transport and it has the ambitious goal of doubling cycling in the region by 2030. The plan also gives advice to countries in the development of their cycling strategies and ECF played a key role in developing some of these.

Now in the group of experts, ECF is focused on the continuity of cycle routes, using the experience of developing and managing EuroVelo to create national and regional cycle route networks, expanding the definition of the bicycle to include e-bikes and creating agreed standards for cycling infrastructure and road signs. The group will meet again on 6 and 7 November in Geneva and we look forward to continuing our advocacy then!

PATH and CCD reports: the importance of research in our advocacy toolbox

ECF has recently been involved in the publication of two reports. Such research is an important part of our advocacy, as to convince policymakers that we need more cycling, we need the arguments to back it up!

On 25 May, the Partnership for Active Travel and Health (PATH), of which ECF is a founding member, published its latest report at the International Transport Forum (ITF) Summit in Leipzig. The report, titled “National Policies for Walking and Cycling in ITF Countries” examines the walking and cycling policies of the ITF member countries. The research revealed that while over 80% of countries have a walking policy and 45% have a cycling policy, only 41% had a walking strategy and around 25% a cycling strategy. Being able to point to examples of best practice while also identifying shortcomings and potential for improvement is an important tool in advocating for more active mobility.

The launch of the latest PATH report at the ITF Summit in Leipzig. 

On 2 June – to celebrate World Bicycle Day which took place on 3 June – ECF held a webinar with Cities Changing Diabetes (CCD), during which we launched our new report titled “Cycling for healthier and more inclusive communities”. The report analysed ten examples of locally led community cycling initiatives and social enterprises which bring the joy and benefits of cycling to often underprivileged, marginalised or disadvantaged groups. The value of this research lies in demonstrating real-life examples of where communities are already leading the way and showing how cycling can bring both health and environmental benefits as well as greater social justice. This is important not only for the purpose of inspiring other similar initiatives, but also for convincing policymakers to provide systematic support for cycling.    

Watch this space!: what to expect in the coming months

ECF is continuing its strong advocacy on the revision of the TEN-T guidelines and the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, as the so-called trilogue negotiations between the Parliament, Council and Commission get under way. An agreement on the proposals between the three institutions is expected by the end of the year.

By the end of June, EU Member States must submit their updated National Energy and Climate Plans to the Commission. These plans outline how Member States intend to address decarbonisation, energy efficiency, energy security, the internal energy market and research, innovation and competitiveness. Our policy team will of course be analysing the updated set of plans to see to what extent they include cycling. You can check out our analysis from 2020 here.

We are also eagerly awaiting the interinstitutional EU Cycling Declaration promised by Commission Vice-President Timmermans. We hope that the great momentum built by our campaigning, the Member States’ European Bicycle Declaration and the Parliament’s resolution will culminate in a progressive and ambitious Declaration, followed by the announcement of a European Year of Cycling in 2024 by the Commission President. Whatever happens, we will keep pushing for more and better cycling across the continent.