EU Funding
European Union funding for cycling can come in various forms. It can make substantial impacts on cycling policy, advocacy programs, industry growth and other cycling-related goals and initiatives. Advocacy is one of the key methods by which funds can be released to spread knowledge and demonstrate the benefits of cycling to policy makers, citizens and industry.
ECF has identified €6 billion worth of European Union funding to be used on cycling and cycling-related initiatives throughout Europe. Focused on establishing a network of national partners, the €6 billion campaign is something that is guaranteed to make big changes in the world of cycling.
6 Billion for Cycling
The €6 Billion for cycling campaign is a project that aims to take already-existing funding and create Europe-wide networks that will produce growth, innovation and opportunities in the cycling world.
In the next two years, the EU will decide €1 trillion budgets until 2020. In the last budget, only €600 million was spent on cycling. Why? Because national and regional governments didn’t know what to ask for.
- Previously, only 4 EU countries had requested significant money for cycling
- In Hungary, €200 million was used to fund a comprehensive national cycling plan – this is something that could have been done in many other EU countries
- Some of the best known mountain biking developments in the world have been funded by the EU
Recently, ECF and its partners had secured €4million from the EU for the Danube Route and The Iron Curtain Trail. The money is there, the resources are too – now it’s just about putting them to use.
The funding can be used in a number of ways and on various projects that work to stimulate and enlarge the market for cycling and cycling advocacy all over Europe. The categories of projects that the €6 Billion can fall under are:
Funds from EU institutions
Cohesion Policy
Rural Development Fund
Funds for Neighboring Countries
Want more information on the €6 Billion campaign? The project is currently in the planning phase, however, there are two key upcoming events where a more in-depth understanding of the campaign will be provided, along with the various opportunities to get involved.
On August 30-31 in Freidrichschafen, Germany, the Eurobike Advocacy Summit will take place, which will focus on issues related to advocacy, markets, cycling and more. Additionally, on September 26 in Nantes, France, the ECF/EGWA Cycle Tourism Conference will serve as the official French launch of the €6 Billion campaign, bringing with it topics including accessing European funds, cycling initiatives and policy.
So sign up now and be one of the first to find out how your company can benefit from the €6 Billion campaign!
For a more in-depth understanding of the €6 Billion campaign, please take a look at our video:
Latest news on funding bids
Alchemy – turning cycling into gold!
How ECF turns cycling industry support into a €150Million boost to the economy:
Part of ECF’s EU Funding Campaign, ECF’s partners have just announced successful applications to bring €4million of EU funding to the Iron Curtain Trail and the TransDanube project; two flagship EuroVelo international cycle routes which can bring a €100million boost to the economy. EuroVelo routes:
- promote international cycle tourism
- provide a core cycling infrastructure
- stimulate urban cycling and route networks in cities and towns.
Putting even more strength behind the argument that “€6 billion for cycling” campaign is one that will unite the whole of cycling, ECF will present this at the Eurobike Advocacy Summit which will demonstrate how funding for advocacy contributed by the cycling industry means millions of euros in benefits to the cycling economy.
ECF’s main goal is that cycling should win at least 10% of all EU funded transport initiatives.
In this case the successful bids were part of only 37 successful applications from nearly 350 applications – over 5% of the whole funding round, which covered more than just transport.
