Politicians Exchange Forum

Inspiring dialogue about urban mobility policy in Europe

The Politicians Exchange Forum (PEF), established as part of the CIVITAS Initiative, serves as a robust and open platform for local politicians from the City Network to actively engage, collaborate, and exchange knowledge in the realm of sustainable urban mobility. In addition, the PEF offers an opportunity for local politicians to participate in dialogue and idea-sharing with high-level representatives of the European Commission (EC) and stakeholders from the sector on various urban mobility aspects.

The PEF convenes twice per year: once in Spring, jointly with the CIVINET Forum, and once in the Autumn during the CIVITAS Forum Conference or the Urban Mobility Days.

The PEF has the following main roles and objectives:

• Facilitate engagement and exchange between local politicians, representatives of the European Commission and key stakeholders focused on sustainable urban mobility topics within the ten Thematic Areas of the CIVITAS Initiative.
• Ensure the integration of political insights and city-specific needs into CIVITAS. This enables tailored and context-specific solutions for sustainable urban mobility.
• Foster networking, peer-learning, and exchange of best practices among local politicians working on sustainable urban mobility.
• Promote diverse participation of politicians from the CIVITAS Member Cities to enrich discussions and perspectives.
• Foster collaboration with CIVITAS National Networks (CIVINETs), CIVITAS clusters/projects, and stakeholders to address urban mobility challenges holistically.

Insight from current PEF members

“Mobility represents 13% of GHG emissions in the city, but they are the hardest to reduce since it affects people daily life.” - Anna Lisa Boni, Bologna Deputy Mayor for European Funds, Ecological Transition, and International Relations

“We used to invest a lot in the past in various services, like electricity and the railway network. Then we spent half of a century investing in roads. Now, proximity is our main driver when it comes to urban mobility. We promote walking first, then cycling.” - Lot van Hooijdonk, Utrecht Deputy Mayor for Mobility

“Cycling also generates savings in socio-economic costs, which translate into more purchasing power for people in the end”. - Gianluca Borghi, Parma Deputy Mayor for Environmental Sustainability, Energy and Mobility