Pilot project presented at ECF event With the introduction of the scheme, France follows the example of Belgium, where a kilometric cycling reimbursement (0.22 €/km) has been in place since the 1990s with strong results: The number of employees who benefit from the kilometric allowance went up by 40% between 2009 and 2013, while the total number of Belgians cycling to work also has increased steadily. A pilot project in France led by the Interministerial Coordination Cell for Cycling came to the same conclusions last year. Invited by ECF, Pierre Toulouse, Deputy Coordinator, presented the impressive impact of the pilot at the launch event of the European Mobility Week in Brussels on 16 September: The modal share of cycling in the test group of 10,000 employees increased by 50%. The project evaluation also showed that the fiscal measure was attractive for new cyclists. ECF report on fiscal incentives for commuting In a study published in December 2014, ECF has analysed fiscal schemes for commuting in 11 European countries. The report found that, on one hand, most tax systems provide a number of perverse incentives for unsustainable commuting behaviour, for example regarding company cars. The same is true for diesel fuel, a fact that has been highlighted by the current scandal around tempered emission testing systems for diesel cars. On the other hand, we only found few examples for tax incentives promoting active modes of mobility like cycling and walking. ECF is advocating for correcting this imbalance by introducing more fiscal incentives for cycling. This will create multiple benefits: Studies show that cyclist commuters are happier and healthier, which helps employers save money through less sickness absence and also leads to less expenses in public health systems.

More cycling also helps to alleviate air pollution, creates jobs, and reduces CO₂ emissions. After hosting this year’s Velo-city conference in Nantes, and in the run-up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris in December (COP21), France sends a strong signal on how fiscal systems can be reformed to promote sustainable low-carbon mobility. ECF, together with its member organisations at national and local level, will continue its advocacy work to convince other countries to follow this example.