Let's explore them together:

1. Velo-city 2024: Ghent wins bid to host the world cycling summit

In May of this year, the city of Ghent secured the bid to host Velo-city 2024. As the first Belgian city to host the conference since Brussels in 2009, this conference will connect businesses, government, research and education globally under the theme ‘Connecting through cycling’.

Read the full article here.

Buy your ticket for Velo-city 2024 here.

2. Prioritising cycling: What the European Parliament’s new resolution really means for cycling in Europe

On 16 February 2023, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on developing an EU cycling strategy. ECF explains why this is such a significant step forward for cycling.

The European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) worked hard with our cycling industry colleagues for years to get to this point. In this article, we explore how an EU cycling strategy can join up Europe’s still uneven progress on cycling and what must happen next for its ambitions to become a reality.

Read the full article here.

3. Historic Joint European Cycling Declaration to serve as a strategic compass to unlock cycling’s full potential.

The Urban Mobility Days conference in 2023 witnessed the release of the most historic and ambitious initiative from the EU Commission to date: the European Declaration on Cycling. After months of engaging with the Commission on the strategy, we enthusiastically welcomed the release of the landmark document as a means to ‘unleash the full potential of cycling in the European Union.’

Jill Warren commented on the announcement, “This is a key milestone for cycling. We are delighted that the Declaration reflects many of ECF’s longstanding advocacy and policy demands to increase and improve cycling in Europe, such as creating more and better cycling infrastructure and encouraging inclusive and affordable mobility.”

Read the full article here.

4. Velo-city host Ghent: Where cycling connects

The quirky city of Ghent is a cosy pocket-sized city with the energy of a metropolis and a top destination for cycling enthusiasts. Through people-focused urban planning, community engagement and a deep commitment to securing a liveable future, Ghent has become a place where cycling truly connects us all.

From 18-21 June 2023, the Belgian city hosted the global cycling community for the annual world cycling summit.

Read the full article here.

For more information on Velo-city 2024 Ghent, check out the website.

5. How to make cycling and public transport a winning combination for European cities: Introducing the UPPER Project

The beginning of 2023 saw ECF’s involvement in a new Horizon Europe project: UPPER – Unleashing the Potential of Public Transport in Europe. The UPPER project involving a consortium of 41 partners over the next four years, aims to strengthen the role of public transport in achieving sustainability and innovative mobility in cities. It will implement a series of measures (84 to be specific) in 10 European cities and regions.

Read the full article here.

Follow UPPER for news and updates on its website, LinkedIn and twitter.

6. Bike theft across Europe and securing better bike parking

The lack of safe and accessible bicycle parking is one of the main barriers to regular cycling, the most energy-efficient of all transport modes.

ECF delves into the issue of bicycle theft across Europe and its impact on cycling promotion. With approximately 1.3 million bicycles are reported as stolen annually in the EU-27, ECF explores the urgent need for secure bike parking as a deterrent to bike theft and promote a cycling-friendly environment.

Read the full article here.

7. Is the love affair between cyclists and Eurostar to finally continue?

In February, Eurostar announced that bicycles are once again allowed to be transported across the English Channel. This development marked a significant milestone for cyclists and the accessibility of biking across Europe.

ECF recognises despite some limitations in Eurostar’s latest policy, it signals a significant first step to unlock the true potential of bicycles on trains.

Read the full article here.

8. UN declares 26 November as World Sustainable Transport Day

The United Nations General Assembly designated 26 November as World Sustainable Transport Day.

The initiative represents a global commitment to promoting sustainable transport as a means of tackling some of the common socio-economic challenges we face: from curbing greenhouse gas emissions, improving air quality and the liveability of cities, this day is a moment to advance the potential of active travel. ECF welcomes this new day as a means to put the spotlight on cycling!

Read the full article here.

9. EU investments in cycling using EU Structural Funds shift into higher gear

ECF publishes a first-of-its-kind analysis of financial investments in cycling projects made by EU Member States using EU Structural Funds, based on data from the European Commission’s “Cohesion Open Data Platform.”

Read the full article here.

10. Cycling is growing steadily in France. Energy-efficiency programmes provide some of the necessary funding

Against the backdrop of France’s commitment to energy efficiency, ECF studied various nationwide cycling programmes financed through energy efficiency programmes, as the recently revised European Energy Efficiency Directive calls for an additional 11.7% reductions of energy consumption by 2030.

As we know, cycling comes with many co-benefits, particularly for the climate, environment and health. But cycling is also an extremely energy-efficient mode of transport, something that is often overlooked when it comes to policies, investments and subsidies in the transport and mobility sector.

Read the full article here.