17 September 2014 – Over 2000 European towns and cities are expected to participate in the 13th edition of European Mobility Week, an annual European campaign about getting around town in a sustainable way. Starting today, national and local campaigners are organising various events. The aim of this year’s European Mobility Week, with the slogan “Our streets, our choice”, is to encourage citizens to ‘reclaim’ urban spaces to create the city they want to live in.

Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas, in charge of transport, said: “For too long, private cars have determined how cities are planned. But nowadays, €100 billion are lost to our economies every year due to congestion, not to speak of the effects on people’s time and health. Therefore, I’m very pleased to see the enthusiastic uptake of this year’s European Mobility Week. I’m sure there are plenty of good ideas around on how we can better shape where we live.”

Janez Potočnik, European Commissioner for the Environment, said: “Mobility Week reminds us that when it comes to personal mobility, we really do have a choice, and good choice makes a tangible difference to our health and our quality of life. So let’s make a stand for cleaner air and for urban spaces that are built for people. Cities are for citizens – let’s keep them that way!”

During the European Mobility Week, an annual action coordinated by a consortium backed by the European Commission, citizens in more than 2000 cities in 43 countries will be able to participate in sustainable commuting challenges, teleworking campaigns, flash mobs, car free day events, creative competitions, festivals and many more activities.

At the same time, the EU is launching the 2014 Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) award within the framework of the ‘Do the Right Mix’ campaign. In its third edition, the award recognises outstanding work being carried out by cities and local authorities across Europe to meet the transport needs of their communities in an effective and sustainable way. The winning region or local authority will receive a prize of € 10, 000 and international recognition for its initiatives. Applications are being accepted between 16 September and 3 November 2014 on the Do the Right Mix website, where details on eligibility and evaluation criteria can also be found. The award theme for 2014 is ‘monitoring implementation to improve the SUMP’.

In 2013, the SUMP award went to the city of Rivas Vaciamadrid (Spain).