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ACADEME: Cross-programme Capitalisation Synergy for Greater Impact in Europe in the Fields of Sustainable Mobility and Transports

Sustainable mobility and transports are no longer on the side-lines when it comes to both short- and long-term strategic planning in most of the European countries. Thanks to the various Interreg programmes cross-borders initiatives and projects are sprouting and shaking status quo. Few of those initiatives decided to take one step further in an unprecedented action - FOUR EU projects funded by FOUR different EU Interreg Programmes launched a common initiative to capitalise, disseminate, promote and build upon the results of these projects with the joint acronym “ACADEME"! 

Spreading the impact throughout the EU

The ACADEME Initiative launched in Koper, on January 29th 2020. It gathered projects which tackled sustainable mobility and transport in Functional Urban Areas embracing coastal, inland and bordering cities of different sizes in South, East and Central Europe. Now they are ready to share the solutions, results, and lessons learned to spread the impact along the EU. 

These projects are: 

• SMILE / First and last Mile Inter-modal Mobility in congested urban Areas of Adrion Region (ADRION) 

• SMART COMMUTING - Smart and Sustainable Mobility Choices for Commuters (CENTRAL EUROPE) 

• CHESTNUT - Comprehensive Elaboration of Strategic Plans for sustainable Urban Transport (DANUBE) and

• MOBILITAS - Mobility for nearly-zero CO2 in Mediterranean tourism destinations (MED) 

They involve 50 territorial and scientific partners from 15 countries: Albania, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia. 

Joint learning and pilot actions as a way forward 

• Having started with the wide partnership, which included partners with different starting points, we managed to develop methodology for “joint learning actions” which helped us achieve the goals and targets set by the project, and drafted quality Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans in Functional Urban Areas. Besides that, we implemented sustainable mobility pilot actions, gathered relevant data, and combining those findings we intend to widespread not only the results of the testing in the pilot actions and the elaboration of papers and strategies, but also the innovative processes developed to achieve them, said Mr. Helmut Lemmerer, research fellow of Vienna University of Technology, Institute of Transportation, Research Centre of Transport Planning and Traffic Engineering who was directly involved as a scientific coordinator in projects SMART COMMUTING and CHESTNUT. 

The press conference in Koper, was the opportunity for the ACADEME initiative not only to present the fact that it is the first time that four EU projects in four different programmes are capitalised, but to outline its plans for the future.

Wider impact in the reduction of the CO2 

• Capitalisation of the Transnational Interreg projects is extremely important for achievement of the impact on a wider scale than it is possible by the single project. That’s why a specific focus on possible new conformations of the INTERREG programmes covering the Adriatic and Ionian regions – were commented by Mr. Lodovico Gherardi, coordinator of the Managing Authority of the ADRION Programme and used the opportunity to present the state of the art of the papers concerning upcoming transnational territorial programmes for the period 2021-2027. 

• Common element of all these projects is the importance of setting mobility scenarios and overarching goals at FUA level and consequently, setting targets for reduction of CO2 emissions – added Mr. Silvio Nocera, professor at Iuav University of Venice, involved as a scientific coordinator of the SMART COMMUTING, SMILE and MOBILITAS projects. 

30 million EUR for the implementation of the sustainable mobility strategies
The organisation that participated in all four projects as a regional partner is the Regional Development Center Koper. 

• Its intervention focused on the synergies in terms of mobility planning that have been possible to develop in the Slovenian Istrian coastal area due to the complementarity of the 4 projects. Based on the results of 4 projects, this area is preparing a request for investment of around 30 million euro by the European Bank of Investment to implement the strategies outlined in the 4 projects – said Mr. Slavko Mezek, senior expert in mobility and transport planning of the RDC Koper. 

Next cross-programme initiative “ACADEME” is planned in May 2020 in Rimini (Italy) in coincidence with the final meeting of project Smart Commuting.  

For further information please contact RRC Koper
info@rrc-kp.si
+386 5 66 37 580 

The following entities have been involved directly in the above-mentioned projects: 

- Regional development centre Koper, School center Velenje, Municipality of Velenje, Association of Municipalities and Towns of Slovenia (SLOVENIA).
- Iuav University of Venice, Regional Province of Ragusa, Ministry of Infrastructure and Transports, Municipality of Misano Adriatico, Rimini Strategic Plan Agency, Municipality of Rimini, Mobility Agency for the province of Rimini, Public Transport Emilia-Romagna (ITALY).
- Zadar County Development Agency, City of Dubrovnik Development Agency, Municipality of Dubrovnik, City of Zadar (CROATIA).
- Regional Agency for Socio-Economic Development – Banat (SERBIA).
- Municipality of Tirana (ALBANIA).
- Agency for economic development of City of Prijedor, Municipality Gradiska, LIR Evolution (BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA).
- Municipality of Hersonisos, Municipality of Piraeus (GREECE).
-Vienna University of Technology, Institute of Transportation - Research Center of Transport Planning and Traffic Engineering, Municipality of Weiz (AUSTRIA).
- The Municipal District Prague 9, Hranice development agency (CZECH REPUBLIC).
- Municipality of the City of Budapest, District 14 Zuglò, Pannonian Business Network Association, Municipality of Szolnok City of County Rank, Transport Centre in Central Eastern Hungary, Vas County Authority (HUNGARY).
- Municipality of Odorheiu Secuiesc, Regional Development Agency Center Alba Iulia (ROMANIA).
- Municipality of Dimitrovgrad (BULGARIA).
- Paragon Europe (MALTA).
- Pano Platres Community Council (CYPRUS).
- Energies 2050 (FRANCE).