CIVITAS and EU Urban Mobility Observatory highlights from Cities Forum 2025

From 17 to 19 June 2025, Kraków, Poland, hosted the Cities Forum 2025 under the theme “Empowering cities, shaping Europe’s future.” The event brought together around 800 participants - both in person and online - and served as a key platform for city representatives, policymakers and urban practitioners to address pressing urban challenges, from housing and social inclusion to digital transformation and sustainable urban mobility.

The CIVITAS Initiative and the EU Urban Mobility Observatory co-hosted a joint exhibition stand, showcasing how both initiatives support cities in advancing sustainable mobility. The stand featured resources, data and expert guidance on developing Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) and implementing local transport measures.

The Forum’s interactive programme featured policy dialogues, practical workshops, and site visits to EU-funded urban planning projects. The exhibition area enabled dynamic networking, with city networks and mobility experts exchanging tools, knowledge and best practice examples.

On 18 June, the "City Talks" sessions featured three urban mobility initiatives:

• Leipzig, Germany, presented its project repurposing disused railway lines into cycle and pedestrian routes.
• Groningen, Netherlands, showcased its Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning (SUMP) approach.
• Szeged, Hungary, spoke about their project on mobility plans for workplaces, encouraging more sustainable commuting journeys.

On 19 June, the hybrid session "Driving Change for Urban Mobility" spotlighted three further urban mobility project showcases from across Europe, followed by a panel discussion on key challenges in transitioning to sustainable transport.

The session opened with insights from the International Building Exhibition in the Munich Metropolitan Region, exploring how the area is tackling commuting congestion, high traffic density, and the need for socially equitable mobility. They introduced a “three-dimensional” strategy:

• Mobility transition – reducing travel needs in urban centres.
• Traffic transition – promoting multimodal transport systems.
• Drive transition – supporting the shift to cleaner energy, particularly in rural, car-dependent areas.

Next, Reggio Emilia, Italy, represented by the Deputy Mayor for Sustainable Mobility, presented its efforts to maintain its reputation as one of Italy’s most cycle-friendly cities. The city has developed an extensive cycling network, traffic calming zones, and public campaigns. A new initiative promotes the use of cargo bikes by logistics operators to reduce delivery vehicle traffic, particularly in response to growing e-commerce demand. More background to this initiative can be found in our case study available here.

The session concluded with a presentation from the Director of Kraków’s public transport traffic management centre, who discussed the challenges of serving the city’s rapidly growing peripheral population. The EU-funded Seamless Shared Urban Mobility (SUM) project aims to expand transport options by integrating shared mobility services - such as on-demand shuttles and micromobility - into the public transport network. Emphasis was placed on the importance of cross-sector collaboration and inclusive planning to ensure the needs of diverse users are met.

Throughout the Forum, a consistent message emerged: while urban challenges differ across regions, sustainable mobility solutions must be innovative, context-sensitive and collaborative. The Cities Forum 2025 demonstrated how European cities are actively driving change - working together to shape more inclusive, resilient and sustainable urban futures.

Author: Katie Millard

Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not reflect those of the European Commission.