Staff
Raffaele Vergnani
Urban Freight Cluster Lead
Raffaele joined POLIS in July 2021 and he is the Coordinator of the Urban Freight Working Group. He oversees thematically related EU-funded projects and he covers the following topics within the logistics cluster:
- Clean fleets for logistics
- E-commerce and last-mile deliveries
- Digital Twins and Physical Internet solutions
- Hubs for logistics
- Curbside management
Raffaele has co-written and contributed to more than ten research studies commissioned by the European Commission and Parliament. He co-led the subgroup on urban logistics of the Expert Group on Urban Mobility (EGUM) in 2023-2024, and he has taken part in international working groups focused on transport and tourism, such as the Alpine Convention.
He holds a master's degree in Geography and Spatial Planning from the University of Bologna.
You can contact him in Italian, English, French, and German.

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Let’s talk about parcel lockers: Location, size, and operation
POLIS, ETP-ALICE, and C40 Cities co-hosted a webinar on 29 January 2025 on parcel lockers, facilitating an ad-hoc exchange with experts and city representatives from Europe and North America.
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06/02/2025

Global New Mobility Coalition releases new ambition statement on the future of urban deliveries
POLIS backs Global New Mobility Coalition's statement to improve the efficiency and sustainability of urban deliveries by 2030....
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26/01/2025

MOVE21 launches White Paper on Public-Private Collaboration in Urban Mobility and Logistics
MOVE21 launched its new White Paper on Public-Private Collaboration in Urban Mobility and Logistics at the last Smart City Expo in Barcelona....
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10/01/2025

New compendium of interventions to transform freight transport and logistics is out
SLOCAT and the Kühne Climate Center have developed a comprehensive compendium of policy and financing interventions needed to deliver intermodal, low-carbon, efficient and resilient freight transp...
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03/12/2024

New policy brief outlines role of urban nodes in Europe’s transport future
A newly released policy brief provides an in-depth analysis of the vital role that urban nodes will play in the future of Europe's transport infrastructure, as outlined in the revised Trans-European T...
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02/09/2024

Urban logistics hubs: More than just e-commerce
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26/06/2024

Urban Logistics Innovation Day delivers again!
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10/06/2024

POLIS co-signs SLOCAT-led manifesto to transform freight transport
POLIS cosigned the SLOCAT-led Manifesto for intermodal, low-carbon, efficient and resilient freight transport and logistics....
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21/05/2024

DISCO project convenes successful General Assembly in Thessaloniki
On 22-23 April 2024, the Municipality of Thessaloniki opened its doors to the DISCO project consortium for its latest General Assembly....
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07/05/2024

GREEN-LOG co-creation workshops bring about insights on last-mile logistics
In a series of lively and collaborative workshops, the GREEN-LOG project it trying to revolutionise last-mile logistics across Europe....
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16/04/2024

First IRU-POLIS ‘Zero-Emission Urban Freight Webinar’ inspires over 100 stakeholders
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29/02/2024

POLIS and ALICE reinforce their strategic collaboration at #POLIS23
On 30 November 2023, at the POLIS Conference 2023 in Leuven (Belgium), POLIS and ALICE formalised an important step forward in their strategic collaboration....
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30/11/2023

Digital Twins for Urban Logistics: LEAD Policy Recommendations launched
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10/11/2023

Presenting the LEAD Platform: Simplifying Complex Urban Logistics Decision-Making
The LEAD Platform offers a powerful solution to assess, simulate, and improve logistics scenarios and decision-making processes....
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03/10/2023

Digital Twins and Urban Logistics in focus: LEAD conference draws over 100 participants
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Decarbonise urban freight transport is a challenge for many cities while business...
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28/09/2023

LEAD showcases power of Digital Twins for last-mile logistics in new video
LEAD has released a video presenting the LEAD Platform - a sophisticated tool designed to assist last-mile logistics operations....
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21/09/2023

Developing sustainable freight solutions… which work!
POLIS hosted a workshop in coordination with Environmental Defense Fund Europe (EDF-E) to explore the practical challenges facing cities in developing and implementing sustainable freight solutions....
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20/09/2023

rEVolutionising passenger and freight transport: POLIS‘ working groups & projects explore
POLIS’ Parking, Air Quality & Clean Vehicles, and Freight working groups convened for a two-day event traversing the future of electromobility… and what is in store for the future of passenger...
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27/06/2023

Registrations now OPEN: Join us at the Urban Logistics Innovation Day in Brussels!
The registrations for the Urban Logistics Innovation Day, taking place at COMET Louise in Brussels on 26 September, are now open!...
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08/06/2023

POLIS, TDA, and C40 update their How-to-Guide Zero-Emission Zones in the City
POLIS, Transport Decarbonisation Alliance (TDA) and C40 cities launched an updated How-to Guide, "Zero-Emission Zones in the City"!...
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25/05/2023

DISCO project kicks off for a new generation of urban logistics
Last week, we kicked off a new EU project, focusing on upscaling a new generation of urban logistics. Its name? DISCO!...
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22/05/2023

A new EU-funded project on urban freight just kicked-off: UNCHAIN!
UNCHAIN, Urban logistics and plaNning: AntiCipating urban freigHt generAtion and demand including dIgitalisation of urbaN freight, is here!...
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22/05/2023

POLIS’ Working Groups: All you missed… and more!
A rapid recap of POLIS recent Working Group meetings, workshops and webinars...
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09/05/2023

POLIS’ Brussels Bubble Band meets again
POLIS members were updated on all the relevant urban mobility policy changes...
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09/05/2023

Urban Freight Just Transition Webinar: “Delivering the jobs”
POLIS' Just Transition Webinar Series brought together experts from across logistics to examine the future of jobs in the sector, challenges ahead and responses needed....
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08/05/2023

Brussels signs its own Green Deal for more sustainable urban logistics
50 small and large players in Brussels are putting pen to paper by signing the 'Brussels Green Deal on Zero Emission Urban Logistics'....
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21/04/2023

POLIS explores regional land use planning for sustainable mobility
On 13 March POLIS’ Regions and Freight Working Groups joined for meeting on regional land use planning for sustainable mobility....
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17/03/2023

Answer NextETRUCK’s survey on e-freight!
NextETRUCK has launched a survey on e-freight to understand the state, needs, barriers, and challenges for freight vehicles....
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12/03/2023

Land use and mobility planning- thinking beyond the boundaries!
POLIS' Regions and Urban Freight working groups join for a combined meeting on regional aspects of land use planning and mobility...
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28/02/2023

A new EU-funded project tackling urban freight in action: GREEN-LOG!
GREEN-LOG is a new POLIS project focusing on cooperative and interconnected green delivery solutions for zero-emission last-mile logistics....
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20/02/2023

Check out POLIS’ 2023 project line-up!
POLIS started off strong this 2023, welcoming a number of new projects to our family. Care for a sneak peek? Come take a look!...
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07/02/2023

Learn about Digital Twins and Urban Logistics in new e-course!
To facilitate experimentation and decision-making with on-demand logistics operations in a public-private urban setting, LEAD developed Digital Twins of urban logistics networks in six cities.
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06/02/2023

CountEmissions EU – the European Commission would like to hear your views!
CountEmissions EU initiative - the European Commission would like to hear your views a common framework to report transport GHG emissions....
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07/10/2022

MOVE21 launches Scan-Med Observatory at the EU Week of Regions and Cities
The MOVE21 project will host a high-level workshop at the next European Week of Regions and Cities (EWRC) that will launch the Scan-Med Observatory – a new city-led initiative to pursue action on co...
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23/09/2022

Registration for the Annual POLIS Conference 2022 is now open!
The registration for the Annual POLIS Conference 2022 is now open - moreover, our draft programme in now available online!...
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29/06/2022

Urban Freight working group convenes in Madrid
On 13 June POLIS’ Urban Freight working group convened in Madrid for a joint event with the LEAD project to discuss logistics solutions...
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29/06/2022

Madrid’s new micro hub reduces the distance travelled for deliveries by 33%
On 14 June, twenty-five stakeholders of the Madrid LEAD Community of Practice met on the premises of the Global Mobility Call to touch base on the main achievements of the Living Lab and discuss poten...
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29/06/2022

DIT4TraM shares its vision during 4FRONT webinar
On 14 June 2022, the 4FRONT Cluster presented insights from the four sister projects involved: DIT4TraM, TANGENT, FRONTIER, and ORCHESTRA....
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17/06/2022

POLIS Working Groups: What you missed
As the summer approaches, we look back at POLIS’ recent Working Group events where we discussed all things mobility with our members....
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16/06/2022

SURF Final Report gives insights on sustainable urban freight
The SURF project - a joint effort of Environmental Defense Fund Europe and POLIS Network, has officially ended. Here is its Final Report....
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20/05/2022

Answer the DIT4TraM surveys on stakeholders goals and cooperation
NTUA is currently conducting two surveys for the DIT4TraM project to better understand mobility stakeholders' goals and cooperation intentions ...
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06/05/2022

Lyon develops new logistic solution to reduce the carbon footprint of the delivery sector
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26/04/2022

POLIS-ALICE webinar series kicks off!
POLIS-ALICE Webinar series kicked-off with an exploration of how passenger and freight transit can be combined....
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22/04/2022

POLIS’ Working Groups: The year so far
The year so far from active travel, freight, governance, regions and others discussing sustainable urban mobility....
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07/04/2022

ASSURED wraps up successfully!
The conference itself and the whole project aimed to promote the electrification of an urban public transport system by studying in detail the potential standardisation of vehicles and charging statio...
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06/04/2022

POLIS & ALICE launch new webinar series on urban freight
POLIS will be joining ALICE- to deliver a webinar series on the future of urban freight, bringing public and private actors together for one of the most comprehensive conversations yet....
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17/03/2022

POLIS calls for tighter van CO2 limits in order to drive electrification
As part of a coalition of cities, companies, and environment and public health campaigners, POLIS just published a joint letter calling on EU decision-makers to put vans on a credible path to zero-emi...
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11/03/2022

Futureshop: Hyperconnected city: join the latest LEAD webinar and hear about The Hague’s Digital Twin models!
Join us for the workshop Futureshop: Hyperconnected city, taking place on March 3rd, 2022. This workshop is organised within the scope of the activities of The Hague Living Lab in the LEAD pro...
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02/02/2022

POLIS contributes to new reports on tourism and freight after COVID-19
The European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) has published a series of reports on transport and tourism after COVID-19, aided by contributions by POLIS....
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26/01/2022

FlexCURB project to enhance last-mile operations in four European cities
The cities of Leuven and Toulouse, plus POLIS itself, are involved in FlexCURB, an exciting new initiative focused on enhancing urban last-mile operations. The project's kick-off meeting took place on...
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14/01/2022

Oslo, Gothenburg, and Hamburg officially launch innovative Living Labs in the framework of the EU project MOVE21
The innovation project MOVE21, funded by the European Commission, aims at transforming European cities and their surroundings into climate-neutral centres for smart and clean mobility and logistics....
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29/10/2021

DIT4TraM: a new EU-funded project to improve traffic and mobility management
DIT4TraM is an EU-funded innovation project aiming to improve transport traffic. It amounts at almost 5 million euro. To test and develop DIT4TraM knowledge and insights, the project organis...
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26/10/2021

POLIS and ALICE continue their collaboration for sustainable urban freight
POLIS and ALICE, The European Technology Platform convened to continue their collaboration on sustainable logistics....
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20/10/2021
01/04/2025 - 02/04/2025

01/04/2025 - 02/04/2025
MOVE21 and SCALE-UP Final Event
Th joint final event of MOVE21 and SCALE-UP is taking place on 1–2 April 2025 in Brussels—do not miss it anbd register today!...
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Brussels, Belgium
29/01/2025

29/01/2025
POLIS – ALICE – C40 Webinar: Let’s talk about parcel lockers—Location, size, and operation
POLIS, ALICE, and C40 organise on Wednesday, 29 January (15:30 – 16:15 CET) a webinar on the operation of parcel lockers....
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Online
05/11/2024 - 07/11/2024

05/11/2024 - 07/11/2024
Tomorrow Mobility World Congress 2024
TMWC 2024 is the leading global platform dedicated to transforming urban mobility towards a more efficient and sustainable future....
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Barcelona, Spain
09/10/2024 - 11/10/2024

09/10/2024 - 11/10/2024
Urbanism Next Europe 2024
The upcoming Urbanism Next Europe 2024 Conference is scheduled for 9-11 October in Amsterdam, the Netherlands....
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Amsterdam, The Netherlands
04/06/2024

04/06/2024
Urban Logistics Innovation Day 2024
Urban logistics plays an important role in cities. Urbanisation, business activities and changes in lifestyles have increased demands on urban logistics, resulting in negative impacts, such as polluti...
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Brussels, Belgium
22/04/2024 - 23/04/2024

22/04/2024 - 23/04/2024
Planning Urban and Trans-European Mobility Together
''Planning Urban and Trans-European Mobility Together'' is a unique event hosted by the City of Oslo and co-organised by POLIS and Eurocities. Taking place from the 22 till 23 April, it promises to be...
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Oslo, Norway
16/04/2024

16/04/2024
3rd IRU-POLIS Webinar: The future of energy infrastructure
The third and last iteration of the IRU-POLIS webinar series will take place on 16 April 2024 from 15:00-16:30 and will shed light on the challenges related to energy infrastructure of long-haul zero-...
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Online
27/03/2024

27/03/2024
POLIS – ALICE Webinar Series 2024: Physical internet-led innovation
This year, POLIS will once again be joining the European Technology Platform ALICE to deliver a webinar series on the future of urban freight, bringing public and private actors together for another s...
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Online
12/03/2024

12/03/2024
2nd IRU-POLIS Webinar: Zero-emission logistics in a (peri-)urban environment
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Online (Zoom)
13/02/2024

13/02/2024
IRU-POLIS Webinar #1 – Zero-emission freight – from long-haul to last mile
POLIS and the International Road Transport Union are co-hosting a webinar series focusing on the decarbonisation of road freight transport connecting long-haul and last-mile operations. This series of...
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Online (Zoom)
20/11/2023

20/11/2023
POLIS – ALICE Urban Logistics Webinar: Urban Space for Freight
The webinar is supported by the DISCO project and it is open to all stakeholders who are interested in best use of urban space for freight transport.
20 Nov 2023 | 11:00 - 12:00 CET | Online
Re...
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Online
26/09/2023

26/09/2023
Urban Logistics Innovation Day
Registration is now CLOSED for the Urban Logistics Innovation Day!
We are excited to announce the Urban Logistics Innovation Day, to be held in Brussels, at COMET Louise, on the 26 September.
Wi...
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Brussels, Belgium
21/06/2023

21/06/2023
IW-NET Workshop: Optimizing the interconnection between inland waterway transport and urban last mile logistics
The IW-NET Team is organising the workshop on the interconnection between inland waterway transport and urban last mile logistics in June!...
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Brussels, Belgium
19/06/2023 - 20/06/2023

19/06/2023 - 20/06/2023
The E-Volution: urban space solutions for passengers and freight
POLIS' Parking and Freight working groups convene for a joint event on the future of electromobility for passenger and logistics transport....
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POLIS Office, and online
13/03/2023

13/03/2023
Regions and Urban Freight working group meeting: Regional land use planning
The Regions and Urban Freight working group joint meeting on regional land use planning for sustainable mobility patterns....
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Online
08/03/2023

08/03/2023
POLIS-ALICE International Women’s Day Virtual Breakfast
POLIS-ALICE invite you to join the International Women's Day celebrations to discuss women forging change in urban logistics....
03/03/2023

03/03/2023
POLIS and ALICE Webinar Series 2023 Consumer Engagement: Providing consistent information on sustainability
This year, POLIS will again be joining ALICE- to deliver a webinar series on the future of urban freight, bringing public and private actors together for another set of events exploring the ins and ou...
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Online
22/11/2022

22/11/2022
POLIS-ALICE Webinar #5: Use of Urban Space and Dynamic Curbside management
POLIS-ALICE joint webinar series returns to facilitate more collaboration between local authorities and logistics operators/business...
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Online
15/11/2022

15/11/2022
MOVE21 and LEAD at the Transport Research Arena 2022
The MOVE21 and LEAD projects will be present at the upcoming Transport Research Arena (TRA) Conference in Lisbon, that will take place from 14-17 November 2022, at the Lisbon Congress Ce...
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Lisbon
27/10/2022

27/10/2022
POLIS-ALICE Webinar #4: Making construction logistics in urban areas more sustainable
POLIS-ALICE webinar series explores public private partnerships for sustainable construction in urban areas...
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Online
10/10/2022

10/10/2022
Cairgo Bike Stakeholder Meeting
A Cairgo Bike Stakeholder Meeting is planned on 10 October to take stock of the successes and challenges met since the launch of the project....
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Brussels, Belgium
10/10/2022 - 13/10/2022

10/10/2022 - 13/10/2022
European Week of Regions and Cities 2022
The European Week of Regions and Cities is back at it again! Any plans for 10 - 13 October? Join the biggest annual Brussels-based event dedicated to cohesion policy!...
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Brussels, Belgium
23/05/2022

23/05/2022
2nd POLIS-ALICE urban freight webinar
The second webinar in the POLIS-ALICE joint series on urban freight explores cooperation and new business models....
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Online
19/05/2022

19/05/2022
Multimodal Urban Day: Paris edition
Join in the next Multimodal Urban Day in Paris! Organised by HAROPA Ports at Port de Grenelle, this event is part of the so-called "Multimodal Urban Days" to present the Smart Track for Waterway (ST4...