Brussels – July 5, 2017
After the European Strategy for low emission mobility was proposed by the Commission in June 2016 it was transferred to the Transport committee of the European Parliament. In this next step of the legislative process, the committee with the help of rapporteur Bas Eickhout, green MEP from the Netherlands, can amend the proposed strategy. Therefore, amendments were tabled in the Transport committee in May (see here and here) and the Environment committee added multiple suggestions to the draft report of the Transport committee (see here).
Many of these amendments want to make sure that cycling becomes an integral part of the low emission mobility strategy. Concrete recommendations and objectives present in the amendments are
- Fostering networks among cities that promote sustainable forms of transport such as biking and the sharing of best practices
- Encouraging a modal shift for mobility distances of less than 6 km from road to the intermodal mobility chain including cycling
- Supporting the Commission, the Member States and the regions to invest more in the combination and integration of the EuroVelo Cycling Network with the TEN-T railway networks
- Urging the European Commission and Member States to develop a European Cycling Strategy
- Asking for a 25% increase in the area given over to cycle routes and greenways, and a 50% increase in the rate of use of bicycles, by 2025
- Supporting Member States to introduce tax incentives that foster low-emission mobility such as cycling
- Calling on the Commission to encourage the use of cargo bikes for last mile logistics
- Increasing and improving biking infrastructure EU-wide
These amendments from a wide variety of MEPs will be voted upon in the transport committee on September 25. Then they will be sent for an overall vote to the plenary before negotiations between all EU institutions can start to finalize the strategy.
