POLIS at the EPA General Assembly: Strengthening collaboration on EU policy priorities
On 26 September 2024, POLIS participated in the European Parking Association (EPA) General Assembly as part of the speakers' programme, presenting strategies to align cities and regions with EU policy priorities.
As part of the ongoing collaboration between POLIS and EPA, formalised by the Memorandum of Understanding (POLIS-EPA MoU) signed at the Annual POLIS Conference 2023, POLIS contributed to this year’s EPA General Assembly. Ivo Cré, Director of Policy and Projects at POLIS, delivered a presentation during a panel session titled 'Urban Renaissance: How shaping strategic priorities at the EU level helps cities and regions achieve their local policy objectives.' The presentation highlighted POLIS’ efforts to bridge the gap between EU policies and the needs of its city and regional members, particularly in the context of parking policies and regulations, and how these can support sustainable urban mobility goals.
POLIS Manifesto and policy instruments
Cré’s presentation began by outlining the key policy priorities POLIS will advocate for in the next European Parliament term, as detailed in the POLIS Manifesto for the European elections, launched in February 2024. The manifesto emphasises several critical issues in sustainable urban mobility and innovation, with a particular focus on enhancing the resilience of EU transport systems.
This manifesto served as a foundation for discussing how various EU policy instruments and initiatives impact local and regional authorities from POLIS' perspective. The presentation explored how these initiatives, including parking-related policies, can promote better collaboration across local, regional, national, and EU levels. Special attention was given to the "Just Transition" dimension, which ensures that EU transport policies consider the needs of vulnerable groups and regions.
Key EU initiatives and a call for collaboration
Relevant EU instruments and initiatives discussed included the TEN-T regulation and the emerging role of urban nodes, especially in the context of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) as a framework for parking policy. Additional topics covered were the Climate-Neutral Cities initiative, focusing on areas such as electromobility and charging infrastructure; the shift towards smaller, more sustainable vehicles; and the Connected and Smart Mobility initiative, which stressed the need for a robust digital ecosystem governed by regulations like the ITS directive, parking data standards, and traffic circulation plans. The presentation also touched on the importance of dynamically managing public space through standardised parking data exchange and the "Just Transition" dimension, particularly how urban-rural mobility can be integrated into EU initiatives like the Social Climate Fund and the Cohesion Policy.
The session concluded with a call for stakeholders, including those in the parking industry, to engage with the incoming European Commission’s agenda. POLIS urged stakeholders to consider the mission letter for transport and tourism as a basis for fostering dialogue at the local level. This would create opportunities for organisations like the EPA to serve as key intermediaries between EU institutions and local parking authorities.
