Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning (SUMP) support for Baltic Sea Region Cities

Cities across the Baltic Sea Region will soon have a new opportunity to strengthen their capacity for sustainable urban mobility planning. From January to May 2026, the Interreg Baltic Sea Region project SUMPs for BSR will launch a comprehensive Training Package on Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) – a free, five-module online training designed to equip cities and mobility professionals with the knowledge and tools to develop, monitor and implement effective SUMPs.

Developed within the SUMPs for BSR project, the training brings together the expertise of the project partners, the Union of the Baltic Cities Sustainable Cities Commission (UBC SCC), the University of Gdańsk, the Institute of Baltic Studies, and cities of Turku, Gdynia, Cēsis, Greifswald, Panevėžys, and Gävle. The training will be supported by the JSC Gaučė ir Ko (Lithuania), with extensive experience in delivering SUMP capacity-building through JASPERS and other European initiatives, and other selected experts.

The training is open to anyone, with a particular focus on city representatives, planners and mobility experts from the Baltic Sea Region who want to enhance their skills, broaden their knowledge, and exchange experiences through good practices in their local context. Participation is free of charge.

Five modules spanning from January to May 2026

The training consists of five modules, each combining an introductory webinar and an engaging workshop for discussion, exchange and practical application. The online sessions will feature real-life examples from the SUMPs for BSR partner cities alongside cases from other European cities.

Module 1 – Getting started with the SUMP process and its basic principles
Webinar: 14 January 2026 09:00 CET | Workshop: 21 January 2026 CET 09:00 CET
The opening module helps cities get started with the SUMP process, explaining its key steps and how it differs from traditional transport planning. Participants will explore how SUMPs contribute to climate-neutrality goals and learn about requirements under the revised TEN-T Regulation for urban nodes linking to the concept of Functional Urban Areas. The workshop will offer peer exchange on cross-sectoral coordination and stakeholder recognition.

Module 2 – Setting up a monitoring and evaluation framework and defining indicators
Webinar: 4 February 2026 09:00 CET | Workshop: 11 February 2026 09:00 CET
This module highlights the importance of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) in mobility planning and presents a structured approach to building local M&E plans using tools developed within the SUMPs for BSR project. Participants will learn how to select meaningful indicators, align them with European standards, and establish data-driven processes for mobility planning and decision-making.

Module 3 – Collection of data for active modes
Webinar: 4 March 2026 09:00 CET | Workshop: 18 March 2026 09:00 CET
Focusing on walking and cycling data, this module introduces practical methods for collecting and analysing active mobility data. Cities will discover how to combine on-the-ground data with smart technologies, involve citizens in the process, and communicate findings effectively to decision-makers and stakeholders to support evidence-based policies.

Module 4 – Experimenting with potential mobility solutions to promote active modes
Webinar: 22 April 2026 09:00 CEST | Workshop: 29 April 2026 09:00 CEST
Small-scale experiments can be a powerful tool for transforming mobility. This module guides participants through the process of planning, implementing, and learning from pilot projects – from testing temporary measures to evaluating their impact and scaling successful solutions. Cities will share their experiences of designing pilots for walking and cycling.

Module 5 – Engaging stakeholders in planning mobility measures and SUMP
Webinar: 13 May 2026 09:00 CEST | Workshop: 27 May 2026 09:00 CEST
This module focuses on effective stakeholder and citizen engagement throughout the SUMP process. Participants will learn how to map and involve key actors, secure political support, and apply engagement techniques to ensure ownership and commitment. The sessions will explore tools, examples, and best practices for building lasting collaboration among diverse stakeholders.

Each module combines expert insights, peer exchange opportunities, background materials, and interactive exercises allowing participants to connect with other cities facing similar challenges and to discuss solutions that work in practice.

Cities interested in accelerating their transition towards sustainable and inclusive mobility are warmly invited to join the training series. For more information and to sign up see here.

SUMP Clinic: Tailored support for ten selected cities

In addition to the open training package, the SUMP Clinic will offer personalised one-on-one support to ten selected cities from the Baltic Sea Region. The SUMP Clinic is designed to help small and mid-sized cities either start their SUMP journey or strengthen existing plans through targeted guidance.

Each selected city will benefit from two individual online consultation sessions with SUMP experts Kristina Gaučė and Monika Parafinaitytė-Rae from Gaučė ir Ko. During these sessions, experts will assess local challenges, provide tailored examples, and prepare a personalised roadmap with practical recommendations for each city.

Applications will be open to cities from Baltic Sea Region countries (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden), with priority given to smaller cities and those currently without a SUMP, working on their first SUMP or facing implementation challenges.
Application period closes: 30 January 2026 | Announcement of selected cities: 16 February 2026.

For more information on the clinic see here.

Towards a long-term impact

To ensure that all project outputs and materials are easily accessible and transferable to local authorities across the region, the SUMPs for BSR project is developing the Baltic Sea Region SUMP Competence Centre — a well-established and recognised platform serving as the regional hub for Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs).

The renewed Competence Centre will become a user-friendly, attractive, and comprehensive platform hosting all project outcomes, guidance materials, training materials and tools, as well as other SUMP-related resources relevant for cities in the Baltic Sea Region. It will act as the main hub for knowledge transfer, supporting municipalities that are initiating or improving their SUMP processes, and ensuring the long-term dissemination and uptake of project results.

About the SUMPs for BSR project

The SUMPs for BSR (Enhancing effective Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning for supporting active mobility in BSR cities) project, co-funded by the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme, supports smaller municipalities in developing high-quality, integrated, and implementable Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans to encourage shift towards people's active mobility and thus a healthier lifestyle while reducing traffic emissions at the same time.

Running from 2023 to 2026, the project unites eight partners from eight countries, including cities such as Turku, Gdynia, Cēsis, Greifswald, Panevėžys, and Gävle, as well as universities, research institutions and international city networks. Together, they develop and test solutions that make SUMP processes more accessible to small and mid-sized cities — from monitoring and evaluation frameworks and active mobility data collection methods to experimenting with small-scale pilots.

The training series is part of the project’s wider mission to build long-term capacity and develop the Baltic Sea Region Competence Centre on SUMP, ensuring that knowledge, tools and results remain available to cities beyond the project’s lifetime.

Author: Ira Sibelius

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