Today, the ECF has launched its new EU Funds Observatory for Cycling. This will be invaluable tool for any region or organisation that hopes to acquire information regarding the E100bn worth of funds that have been made available by the European Union. The aim of the Observatory is to help users find opportunities for using EU funds to invest in cycling related-projects in their region through allowing them to search all relevant EU programmes and identify where funds are available. We are incredibly proud of this, as it is the first of its type, and we believe that it can play a vital role in helping promote cycling. 

Go to the Observatory!

What is it?

The Observatory provides an overview of more than 200 different programming documents, including both Partnership Agreements and Operational Programmes, which cover the entirety of the 2014-2020 financing period. We have analysed the wording of each document, to highlight useful references, as well as the funding distribution to estimate how much could potentially be spent on cycling related projects. The documents are all stored in the Observatory, as well as contact details for the managing authorities, and will be continually updated as new programmes are analysed.

Based upon the analysis of the documents, ECF estimates between 1,325 and 2,041bn euros (according the EC 1,5 billion) of EU funds are available for use on cycling related projects for the period 2014-2020. This is based upon the explicit references to cycling in the documents, so the actual figure could be much higher: just over 2bn euros if implicit and indirect references are taken into account. This is more than twice the amount available in previous funding periods.

How does it work?

The Observatory work very simply, allowing access information on funding in only a few steps. All programmes are sorted by the region that they apply to and are colour coordinated to show their relevance to cycling activities. This means that it is easier to find the funding programmes that are available, and which ones hold the most potential for cycling related activities. Making the database user-friendly is a key factor in promoting its use, and thus hopefully increasing the amount of funding given for cycling! 

Best practice database

Alongside the programme analysis, in order to help put together successful applications, the Observatory also includes a best practice database; a comprehensive guide to successful EU-funded cycling related projects from around Europe that gives examples of how projects and applications can be created to maximise the chances of being funded.

Our hope is that the Observatory will allow cities and organisations to access greater funding, therefore helping them promote cycling and achieve our aim of doubling the number of Europeans cycling by 2020.

ECF Advocacy Director Adam Bodor is extremely pleased with the Observatory, saying:

For the first time we have a complete overview and scanning of all available Operational Programmes that provide funding opportunities for cycling, covering the whole of Europe. This is a great starting point for cities and towns find out how (much) the EU can support their cycling related development actions. Our estimates put the total amount available as at least 2.5x as much as the previous, which shows the effect of the ECF campaign. Now the challenge is unlocking these funds and using them to promote cycling!