EU Urban Mobility Observatory: 25 years of support to the urban mobility community

November 2023 marked the 25^th anniversary of the EU Urban Mobility Observatory (previously known as Eltis).

Funded by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE), the EU Urban Mobility Observatory serves as a one-stop shop for the exchange of information, policy updates and experience in the field of sustainable urban mobility in Europe. Supporting Commission priorities, it includes a dedicated section on Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs)  including guidance documents and good practice examples.

The web portal was launched on 25 November 1998 at a conference in Graz on ‘Innovation in Urban Transport’ by former European Commissioner responsible for Transport, Neil Kinnock. From humble beginnings as an information repository for facts and figures on local and regional transport in Europe, the Observatory has become Europe’s leading information hub on sustainable urban mobility. It has expanded over the years to encompass best-practice examples, case studies, news, events and policy updates, with a focus on EU urban mobility policy priorities, such as SUMPs, Urban Vehicle Access Regulations, public transport, urban logistics, active mobility and shared public space.

A key milestone in the evolution of the portal was the addition of a dedicated section on Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans, following the adoption of the 2013 Urban Mobility Package. This section hosts the SUMP Guidelines and Decision Makers’ Summary, Member State profiles and an expert corner with SUMP reference materials, as well as information on the overall SUMP concept and good practice examples. A city database (returning soon to the portal) also provides an overview of the status of SUMP implementation in EU Member States.

December 2023 saw the launch of a streamlined version of the portal, hosted on the DG MOVE/Europa website. The EU Urban Mobility Observatory continues to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing on innovative solutions that drive sustainability.

Explore our resources on the ‘new look’ site:

• News
• Events
• Case studies and videos
• Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans

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