One of the major EU funds for cycle projects besides the Structural Funds can come from the European Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). There are 672 billion Euro available to weather the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and Member States are now in the process of developing their national recovery and resilience plans which are necessary to obtain this funding. Czechia and Slovakia are so far among countries that do not wish (according to current versions of the National Recovery Plans in January) to use these funds in order to boost support of cycling transport projects. Therefore organizations lobbying for cycling in Central and Eastern Europe from EuKi and Danube Cycle Plans projects call the responsible authorities to action: consider cycling in recovery plans and multiannual programmes for 2021-2027! By 30 April 2021 Member States and the European Commission need to agree on the final versions of their respective National Recovery and Resilience Plans. The chance to utilize funds from another RRF program REACT-EU which envisions to allocate another 7 bn EUR in Czechia only to combat the effects of COVID-19 pandemics remained unused. Cycle transport in Czechia was considered to receive around 60 mil EUR to support new cycling infrastructure. The Czech IROP Monitoring committee decided last week to leave cycling out of the scheme.
One of the major EU funds for cycle projects besides the Structural Funds can come from the European Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). There are 672 billion Euro available to weather the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and Member States are now in the process of developing their national recovery and resilience plans which are necessary to obtain this funding. Czechia is so far among countries that do not wish (according to current versions of the National Recovery Plans in January) to use these funds in order to boost support of cycling transport projects. In the contrary Slovakia approved last week to spend 100 mil Euro from its RRF for cycling infrastructure.
Organizations lobbying for cycling in Central and Eastern Europe from EuKi and Danube Cycle Plans projects call the responsible authorities to action: consider cycling in recovery plans and multiannual programmes for 2021-2027! By 30 April 2021 Member States and the European Commission need to agree on the final versions of their respective National Recovery and Resilience Plans. The chance to utilize funds from another RRF program REACT-EU which envisions to allocate another 7 billion Euro in Czechia only to combat the effects of COVID-19 pandemics remained unused. Cycle transport in Czechia was considered to receive around 60 mil EUR to support new cycling infrastructure. The Czech IROP Monitoring committee decided in January to leave cycling out of the scheme.
Strategies and plans are necessary, but without necessary funding they mean little
Cycling is undoubtedly a key element of sustainable mobility which is backed up by growing share of cycling on modal split demonstrated during the Covid-19 pandemic while maintaining social distancing and daily physical activity. The European Commission’s detailed road plan for the upcoming Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, in line with the objective of the Green Agreement for Europe (accelerating the transition to sustainable and smart mobility), explicitly highlights the key role of cycling as clean transport for urban and regional mobility and for our efforts to meet environmental objectives.
Cycling is undoubtedly a key element of sustainable mobility which is backed up by growing share of cycling on modal split demonstrated during the Covid-19 pandemic while maintaining social distancing and daily physical activity. The European Commission’s detailed road plan for the upcoming Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, in line with the objective of the Green Agreement for Europe (accelerating the transition to sustainable and smart mobility), explicitly highlights the key role of cycling as clean transport for urban and regional mobility and for our efforts to meet environmental objectives.
Therefore we would like to draw the attention of politicians and officials of Czechia and Slovakia to accelerate support for the development of cycling. As part of the €750 billion Extraordinary Next Generation EU Recovery Instrument, the Recovery and Resilience Instrument should help Member States to address the economic and social impacts of the pandemic through their respective national plans, which ensure an ecological and digital transition to greater sustainability and resilience.
More information a guidelines for unlocking the EU funding can be found on the web page of the European Cyclists Federation partner of Czech Nadace Partnerství and Slovak Cyklokoalícia.
