CIVITAS Replication and Deployment programme
The CIVITAS initiative supports cities in gaining better access to innovative solutions and in addressing their transport challenges through take-up and transfer activities such as twinning sessions, co-creation workshops and site visits.
The CIVITAS Replication and Deployment programme in a nutshell
The CIVITAS Replication and Deployment programme will engage 36 cities in total over its duration. It will be implemented in two cycles, each of which will engage eighteen cities: twelve Champion cities and six Challenge cities. The first cycle will run between October 2023 and August 2025, when the first set of deployment plans will be published. The second cycle will run between January 2025, when the second call for applications will be opened, and February 2027, ending with the release of the second set of deployment plans.
Together, the cities involved in the programme will work on addressing specific challenges in sustainable urban mobility identified by the Challenge cities. Replication will then focus on organisational issues, operational schemes, enabling technologies, business models, collaboration, stakeholder engagement, supporting public policies, and institutional frameworks. At the end of the programme, each of the twelve Challenge cities will develop a deployment plan outlining in detail the roadmap to solving their challenge.
Activities
Six Challenge cities and twelve Champion cities will be selected for each cycle of the programme. The six Challenge cities will be matched in three twinning pairs based on complementarity of their respective challenges. Each Challenge city will also be matched with two Champion cities, who will share their best practices, expertise, and advice with the Challenge city to help them address their challenge. Through this twinning and matching, each Challenge city twin pair will benefit from the expertise of four Champion cities in total and will be able to discuss and brainstorm their strategies and deployment plan with their twin Challenge city and selected external experts.
First cycle – 2023-2025
For the first cycle of the programme the Challenge and Champion cities below have been selected to address challenges related to the following topics:
- Sustainable urban logistics. Selected Challenge Cities: Funchal (PT), and Bruges (BE), respectively paired with Hamburg (DE) and Bergen (NO); and Bologna (IT), Grenoble (FR) and Gdynia (PL) as Champion cities.
- Placemaking and participatory processes. Selected Challenge Cities: Riga (LT), and Istanbul (TR), respectively paired with Utrecht (NL) and Warsaw (PL); and Prague (CZ) and Madrid (ES) as Champion cities.
- Universal design and accessibility. Selected Challenge Cities: Kadıköy (TR), and Komotini (GR), respectively paired with Barcelona (ES) and Łódź (PL); and San Cristóbal de La Laguna (ES) and Saint-Quentin (FR) as Champion cities.
The following study visits will take place during the first cycle:
- Riga (14-16 October 2024)
- Kadıköy (15-17 October 2024)
- Funchal (19-21 November 2024)
- Bruges (21-23 January 2025)
- Komotini (7-9 April 2025)
- Istanbul (9-11 April 2025)
Follow the Challenge cities journey by subscribing to the CIVITAS Newsletter and the CIVITAS Social Media channels (LinkedIn and X).
The call for application to participate in the second cycle of the programme will launch in January 2025. Stay tuned!
This call is open to all cities based in EU Member states or Horizon Associated Countries (*). However, for Challenge cities applications, priority will be given to cities that applied to become one of the 100 Mission Cities but where not selected. For Champion cities applications, priority will be given to cities that have been involved or are currently involved in CIVITAS projects, in order to boost the replication of CIVITAS measures and solutions.
* Iceland, Norway, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey, Israel, Moldova, Switzerland, Faroe Islands, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Tunisia, Georgia, Armenia.
The deadline for applications for Challenge Cities has closed. For Champion Cities the deadline has been extended to 16 January 2024.
There will be a second call for applications in 2025.
Challenge cities will receive:
- financial support up to €1.300 to host a site visit in their city
- financial support up to €875 to travel to their twin city for a site visit
Champion cities will receive:
- financial support up to €875 to travel to a Challenge city for a site visit
Yes. As Challenge cities you will be guided throughout the whole duration of the CIVITAS Replication and Deployment programme, including in the development of your deployment plans.
Contacts
If you have any questions about the CIVITAS Replication and Deployment Programme please contact:
arianna [dot] americo [at] eurocities [dot] eu
