This event brought together municipal and regional representatives to address shared challenges in sustainable mobility governance, with a particular focus on practical cooperation and resource sharing. The meeting, featuring sessions, site visits, and case studies, underscored the critical role that multilevel cooperation plays in advancing sustainable urban mobility solutions, particularly for small and medium-sized cities that often face resource constraints.

Highlights of day 1

The event began with opening remarks by local officials, followed by an outline of Catalonia’s strategic mobility plans. Presentations focused on how cities like Vic are coordinating with regional authorities to promote sustainable and people-centric urban mobility. Highlights included Catalonia's "Mobility and Gender Strategic Master Plan," which aims to make public transport safer and more inclusive, particularly for women. Regional initiatives such as the Expres.cat bus network, which serves over 27 million passengers annually, demonstrated the tangible benefits of local-regional collaboration in improving connectivity and reducing environmental impact.

A guided tour of Vic showcased the city’s pedestrian zones, sustainable transport hubs, and multimodal facilities, illustrating Vic's approach to people-focused urban development. Participants gained insights into Vic’s successful integration of mobility planning with community needs.

Highlights of day 2

On the second day, discussions shifted to the practicalities of implementing the EU’s revised TEN-T regulations, which require more cities and regions to adopt Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs). Speakers highlighted the necessity of coordination across government levels and called for clearer governance frameworks to enable efficient collaboration among small, medium, and large cities. Additionally, the day featured case studies on demand-responsive transport (DRT) initiatives from Catalonia and the Netherlands, showcasing flexible, shared mobility solutions for rural and peri-urban communities.

The session concluded with presentations of EU-funded projects such as NextETruck, focused on zero-emission freight, and ESCALATE, which aims to transform long-haul transport towards CO₂ reduction targets.

Conclusion

The meeting’s discussions reinforced the need for a unified approach to mobility, with a clear emphasis on humanising urban spaces and reducing car dependency. Key takeaways included the importance of resource sharing, strategic partnerships, and long-term financial planning to meet EU goals in sustainable mobility. Such multilevel cooperation, as illustrated by the SMC and Regions Working Group, can help address the unique mobility needs of diverse urban areas, fostering liveable and inclusive cities across Europe.

To read the full workshop report, click here.

View all presentations here.