Page 12 - European Energy Innovation - winter 2019 publication

12 Winter 2019 European Energy Innovation

URBAN MOBILITY

Supporting European cities
towards a clean and smart
urban mobility

By Dirk Beckers (pictured), Executive Director of the Innovation and Networks Executive Agency

The European Commission’s Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) supports the
transition towards clean and smart urban transport and mobility via important EU funding
programmes.
into successful projects with tangible INEA'S CONTRIBUTION TO URBAN
Since January 2014, INEA results. It aims to benefit economic MOBILITY RESEARCH AND
has been implementing growth and EU citizens by providing INNOVATION
important EU funding its stakeholders with expertise and The European Commission launched
programmes for transport,
energy and telecommunications high-level programme management, the CIVITAS Initiative in 2002. It

from research to deployment. It whilst promoting synergies between comprises a network of ambitious

supports research and innovation the programmes. cities dedicated to cleaner and

actions via parts of the Horizon 2020 better transport in Europe. Since its

programme, under the guidance The Agency currently manages 33 launch, there have been five funding

of the European Commission’s research and innovation projects phases, in which more than 80

Directorate-Generals for Research managed under the Horizon 2020 demonstration cities have tested over

and Innovation, Energy, and transport challenge, 14 Smart Cities 800 solutions as part of integrated

Mobility and Transport. The latter and Communities projects under CIVITAS demonstration projects. The

is also responsible for transport the Horizon 2020 energy challenge CIVITAS projects receive a total EU

infrastructure actions implemented and 44 projects under the CEF contribution of around €180 million;

by INEA under the Connecting Europe priority on Urban Nodes. The total involve some 400 beneficiaries -

Facility (CEF). The Agency plays a key EU contribution for these projects is including 17 demonstration cities,

role in turning Commission policies almost €700 million. and reach around 10% of the EU

population.

CIVITAS DESTINATIONS is a Three major CIVITAS demonstration
four-year CIVITAS demonstration projects are currently ongoing:
project. Its aim is to support DESTINATIONS, ECCENTRIC and
remote touristic destinations, PORTIS1.
islands, in overcoming their
particular transport and mobility As part of the last CIVITAS funding
challenges. It will do this by phase, an additional 29 research and
integrating sustainable tourism innovation projects explore how new
and mobility strategies to respond technologies and innovative services
to travellers’ and residents’ needs can support cities in achieving a more
while providing high quality and resource efficient transport, and how
sustainable environments. In economic and social trends influence
total, a series of 80 innovative urban mobility.
measures and solutions are being
tested in six European insular regions (Funchal, Las Palmas de Gran The CIVITAS projects managed
Canarias, Limassol, La Valetta, Elba and Rethymno) that experience a by INEA cover ten thematic areas
significant influx of tourists, resulting in great pressure on the transport that reinforce each other: Car-
systems of their islands. Independent Lifestyles, Clean Fuels

www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu