European Institutions Embrace Cycling En Masse with Historic Declaration

In a historic move, the European Council, Commission, and Parliament have officially endorsed the European Declaration on Cycling, signaling a significant commitment to promoting cycling infrastructure and policies across Europe.

The European Declaration on Cycling, spearheaded by the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, was signed during an informal meeting of EU transport ministers. This groundbreaking agreement, described as the most ambitious EU initiative on cycling to date, recognizes cycling as a fully-fledged mode of transport and emphasizes its sustainability, accessibility, and societal and economic significance.

Henk Swarttouw, President of ECF, hailed the declaration as a monumental achievement, emphasizing its role in promoting cycling alongside other modes of transport. “The European Declaration on Cycling will be etched in history as a monumental milestone for the advancement of cycling in Europe,” he remarked.

Jill Warren, CEO of ECF, echoed Swarttouw’s sentiment, celebrating the declaration’s potential to unlock the benefits of cycling for millions of European citizens. “Today, we celebrate the adoption of the European Declaration on Cycling as a truly historic achievement,” she said.

The adoption of the declaration follows a series of high-level political commitments, reflecting the collaborative efforts of civil society, the cycling industry, and governmental institutions. ECF, alongside its industry partners, had long advocated for a unified cycling policy at the European level.

Erhard Büchel, CONEBI President, commented on the EU’s endorsement of the declaration, highlighting its significance in prioritizing cycling and recognizing its role in sustainable mobility. “Greater uptake of cycling means indeed more quality local jobs too and its role is also beneficial to the EU economy – contributing to the objectives of the current and future EU industrial strategy,” he stated.

With the 2024 EU Parliament elections approaching, ECF’s “Shift Gears for Europe” manifesto calls on MEP candidates to commit to supporting cycling in the upcoming political term and to make it a democratic, affordable, and reliable means of transport for people across all income levels. The adoption of the European Declaration on Cycling presents MEPs with a unique opportunity to ensure that cycling is a top EU political priority. The manifesto includes six specific action points that MEPs can undertake to ensure citizens can directly benefit from cycling.

The European Declaration on Cycling will be a key topic of discussion at ECF’s flagship Velo-City conference, scheduled to take place from 18-21 June 2024 in Ghent, Belgium.

The conference will bring together 1,500 delegates from cities and national governments, advocates, academics, and industry representatives from over 60 countries. A plenary session featuring EU and national ministry representatives will discuss and share their views on the significance and implementation of the declaration.