Regional cooperation to promote e-mobility and smart urban mobility in Central Europe

High level policy makers, researchers and entrepreneurs participating at the 2nd Regional Digital Summit, held 25-26 January in Budapest, agreed on regional cooperation to promote smart mobility.

The Ministry for National Economy of Hungary invited companies and organisations for the second time, to the Regional Digital Summit in Budapest. The accelerated digitalisation of the economy and society is dramatically re-shaping urban areas across the EU. Cities are increasingly trying to develop into ‘smart cities’ as a way to tackle the urban challenges. Mobility has been identified as a priority area to accelerate investment and the rate of innovation in order to transform city operations.

However, smart mobility systems are not easily created. Critical issues relate amongst others to financing, development of new technology; regulation and standards; data exchange, security and privacy and the management model of urban mobility (smart city) initiatives.

The conference did not only gave visibility to the challenges raised by the digitalization and intelligent transport and e-mobility. A major goal of the conference was to speed up the cooperation in the region at governmental, institutional and entrepreneurial level and support the synergy of actions at different levels.

At the side line of the Summit, steps towards such cooperation were immediately taken. Hungary and Croatia agreed to expanding e-mobility cooperation, and to examining options for harmonizing the e-mobility strategies of the two countries. Hungary is ready to share experiences regarding e-mobility promotion measures, for example with regard to a supportive regulatory environment and e-bus fleets used in public transport, stated Minister for National Economy Mihály Varga after meeting with Croatia's Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister, Martina Dalić.

Summit participants also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on the creation Smart City Forum for Central and Eastern Europe, focussing on urban mobility. The ambition is to create a broad Forum that includes stakeholders in the CEE region. The forum should foster exchange and collaboration between the academic community, municipal entities and companies. Interested parties can alreday join the Forum, and a kick-off conference will be organized in May 2018.

~~Image: Zero emission e-busses. Photo: courtesy of Ministry for National Economy, Hungary

~~Source: story first published by Ministry for National Economy,Hungary, January 29, 2018