Cycling Industries Europe’s Board meets with the EU Commissioner for Transport
CIE has continued its programme of high-level meetings with top EU officials when the CIE Board introduced Transport Commissioner Adina Vălean to the success of cycling industries in the EU and highlighted the potential for cycling to contribute to the EU Green Deal. This is the first meeting with the Commissioner by a cycling delegation, so CIE was able to make the case for the whole sector, in particular the role cycling is already playing in the EU recovery from COVID-19.
Led by CIE President Tony Grimaldi (Cycleurope) the Commissioner was shown the global importance of the EU cycling market by leaders from PON, SRAM, Nextbike, Trek, See.Sense and WTB.
Tony Grimaldi said after the meeting “We were very pleased with the constructive dialogue with the Commissioner who clearly sees the value of cycling to the EU. This was a first meeting for the cycling sector, but it reflects the high-level contacts our staff team are building in Brussels with the EU Institutions. Now we have the opportunity to follow up on a number of specific requests to be addressed by DG Move which were put on the agenda at the meeting.”
Tony Grimaldi highlighted to Commissioner Vălean that cities and governments had already pledged over €900 million to new cycling measures after COVID19 because it is cycling that is making the recovery possible in many major cities, and that’s just a first step towards what is possible.
The company delegates spoke about the scale of the cycling sector, the investments coming into cycling from companies that had previously focussed on cars and the importance of the EU to global companies. The diversity of cycling businesses was also emphasised, with bike sharing and digital services playing an important role, often driven by innovative European SMEs.
The Commissioner responded extremely positively to the CIE messages, recognising the contribution being made by cycling. She said it was reassuring to see the high level of interest from local politicians and that there was lots of room for further development.
Among her feedback she said that all DG Move’s guidelines on the recovery had put the light onto cycling and active mobility saying “this is something is important for us”. 33 million Euros has already been spent on cycling in the last EU research programme Horizon 2020, and she said that “more is yet to come” mentioning the EU’s recovery plans and the EU Green Deal.
She emphasised that the Commission understands that this industry will play a special role in cutting greenhouse gases and reducing emissions. An industry that “ticks all the boxes for sustainable and smart mobility” was a quote that particularly pleased the CIE delegation.
CIE will restart meetings this autumn on key topics with Commission officials including the run up to the EU’s new mobility strategy. See a separate news story here for how cycling companies and individuals can also contribute.
Image: European Parliament - Europa.eu
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