EU Commission and Parliament create Cycling Declaration to align policy

The EU Commission and EU Parliament will create a joint EU Cycling Declaration that will pull all relevant cycling policies together in one place and align wider industrial, mobility and environment legislation where applicable.

Executive Vice President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans made the announcement today at a conference in Copenhagen, pledging more coherent policy support, consistency across EU member states and potentially billions more Euros for cycling investments.

“Solid plans will get priority access to funding,” said Timmermans, adding “A green Europe will be a cycling Europe.”

Recognition for driving the progress was made by the Commission for both the European Cyclists’ Federation and Cycling Industries Europe’s work to demonstrate cycling’s potential role in everything from reducing congestion and pollution, right the way through to mention of getting people off of Russian Oil by driving modal shift from motoring to cycling in cities.

Kevin Mayne, Cycling Industries Europe CEO said: “This is an important milestone for us – we have called for the recognition of cycling as an industry of strategic importance in the EU since the day we were founded. We are extremely satisfied with the positive recognition given by EVP Timmermans in his speech. We are committed to delivering thousands of high quality green jobs in Europe and we look forward to working with the Commission to place our industrial strategy into the EU Cycling Declaration.”

Jill Warren, the European Cyclists’ Federation CEO said: “This is a great day for cycling in Europe. We particularly welcome the joined-up approach outlined by EVP Timmermans that should incorporate a number of our longstanding policy demands. It is expected to encompass all aspects of cycling and recognise it as the fully-fledged mode of transport that it is. An EU Cycling Declaration will help realise cycling’s enormous further potential with more support and funding for high quality, safe and connected infrastructure in all areas from urban to rural.”

Kevin Mayne is the subject of an interview in CI.N’s latest print magazine where he details how industry collaboration has been key to unlocking investment into infrastructure and business, plus loosening political will and stimulating progressive cycling policy upgrades. Read that here.