November 8, 2022 - (Brussels, BEL) European political groups and cycling organisations came together at the European parliament in Brussels on Tuesday to map out a political commitment on cycling for the EU institutions.
This is the first formal procedure of the EU institutions to deliver a joined-up policy statement on cycling after its announcement by EU Vice-President Frans Timmermans at the Copenhagen Cycling Summit in June.
Under the leadership of Transport Committee Chair Karima Delli the Parliament is negotiating the wording of a cycling resolution that will be voted in the full Parliament in December, then pass to the EU Commission for action in early 2023.
The stakeholder workshop on Tuesday allowed the European cycling organisations and leading cities like Copenhagen to set out their visions for an ambitious EU Cycling Strategy that would be coordinated, structured and funded across the EU and Member States.
Jointly European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF), Cycling Industries Europe, (CIE), and Confederation of European Bicycle Industries (CONEBI) called on the European Commission to rapidly adopt a EU Cycling Strategy that:
• Aims to double the number of kilometres cycled by people in Europe through quality infrastructure, road safety policies and technologies like e-bikes, cargo bikes and bike sharing.
• Recognises cycling as a priority mode of transport and mobility industry, on the level with all other modes.
• Supports a competitive, resilient, sustainable cycling industry that can grow to supply at least 30 million bikes and e-bikes per year.
• Recognizes the need to bridge an investment gap of €20 billion for infrastructure and €2 billion for industrial transition, backed by regulatory and trade stability to give a basis for investment confidence.
• Supports the local and regional structures needed to retain workers, invest in new technologies and make the transition to sustainable production of bikes and components.
Political representatives then debated key topics like safety, infrastructure and city policies with the expert stakeholders.
Summing up the workshop Karima Delli told the participants how impressed she was by the content and now it will be important for the Parliament to come up with an ambitious resolution supported by all political groups. Immediately afterwards she published her support on social media, saying, “The bicycle is a clean and forward-looking mode of transport that deserves a dedicated policy. We will lift the brakes on the use of the bicycle.”
The Transport Committee is expected to pass their draft resolution in late November before the final document goes to the full Parliament Plenary in Strasbourg on 12th and 13th December.
