Brussels, April 14, 2016

Today sees the official kick-off of the ‘Cycling Festival Europe 2016’, organised by the Dutch EU Presidency. Activities will be organised across Europe by the Dutch Embassies together with local stakeholders from today on until the end of June. All 28 EU Ministers for environment and transport who are meeting today in Amsterdam for an informal Council meeting will receive a ‘cycling promotion guide’ with best practices from all over Europe to promote cycling in their country.

No country is better suited to promote cycling culture than the Netherlands. 26 % of all trips are done by bicycle, the average Dutch person cycled 1,018km in 2014, about 5 times more than the average European!

On the official campaign website, a reference is made to the "Declaration on cycling as a climate friendly mode of transport" and December 2015 Climate Conference in Paris: “It goes without saying that cycling is by far the most climate friendly mode of transport. With the Cycling Festival Europe, the Dutch will show how much fun, efficient and healthy cycling is, either for recreational purposes or for commuting to work and school”, it says.

ECF Secretary General, Bernhard Ensink, will participate in the launch of the Cycling Festival Europe.