EU Policy
The voice of cities and regions
POLIS contributes to EU policy and legislative initiatives in the field of transport that may have an impact at the local and regional levels. We regularly update members on relevant European policy, develop position and discussion papers on topical issues, put forward amendments to EU legislative documents and financial perspectives, and organise Brussels-based high-level events on key policy challenges related to urban mobility.
POLIS participates in European Commission consultation groups such as the Expert Group on Urban Mobility and the Sustainable Transport Forum. The annual Leadership Summit offers the opportunity for policy dialogue with industry and innovation leaders.
Co-creating European legislation and supporting implementation
POLIS contributes to EU policies by informing legislators about local experiences and project findings. We systematically brief our members on the regulatory processes related to transport, including clean vehicles, road safety, air quality, automation, MaaS, and more. We also engage in the development of European guidance for cities and regions.
We prioritise the following fields for the implementation of EU legislation:
- TEN-T Urban Nodes: We help our members meet the requirements for 431 Urban Nodes concerning SUMPs, UMIs, and intermodal infrastructure for both passengers and freight.
- Zero Emission/Zero Pollution: We support the implementation of the Fit-for-55 legislation, AFIR, and the Clean Vehicles Directive.
- Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) and Data: We assist in the implementation of the revised ITS Directive and associated Delegated Regulations (RTTI, MMTIS, etc.)—moreover, we contribute to the European Mobility Data Space and address data-related legislation in the field of mobility (CBED, ISA, etc.).
- Social Climate Fund: We ensure the involvement of local and regional authorities in the development of efficient and effective measures to mitigate transport poverty.
Defining priorities for research funding
POLIS is a member of the European Road Transport Research Advisory Council (ERTRAC) and leads the platform’s Urban Mobility Working Group, which advises the European Commission on urban mobility topics that should be prioritized for EU funding in the research and innovation framework programmes. POLIS is a founding member of the 2Zero and CCAM partnerships and contributes to their Strategic Research Agendas.
More on the Leadership Summits
The POLIS Leadership Summits annually bring together high-level political and technical leaders in government, business, advocacy, research, and action, facilitate a high-level dialogue between the public and private sectors, enable knowledge exchange, foster peer-to-peer cooperation, and feed the development of messages to the COP and other events. Our Summits have been in Glasgow, Stockholm, and Prague!
More on the Political Group Meetings
Our Political Group Meetings are unique forums for intense knowledge exchange to foster peer-to-peer cooperation and navigate the complex governance surrounding shifts to more sustainable mobility. Our Political Group Meetings have been held in Prague, Paris, Brussels, Stockholm, and Leuven—this November, Karlsruhe will welcome elected colleagues to continue these high-level conversations.
