Brussels, 6th May 2020
DearPresident von der Leyen,
Executive Vice-President Timmermans,Commissioner Vălean,
Cc: EU Parliament Chair of Transport and Tourism Committee and Chair ofEnvironment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee

Investing in cycling to fast track the EU green recovery and EU Green Deal
We recognise that the current COVID-19 virus pandemic has caused unprecedented health andeconomic impacts on the EU. We strongly support the actions developed by EU institutions,governments, local authorities, the health sector, citizens and businesses to manage the crisis period.
The signatories of this letter represent over 130 million citizens who cycle regularly, generate externalbenefits of €150 billion per year in the EU and provide over 650,000 EU jobs. The EU is the world’s
most important cycling market with the biggest penetration of technologies such as e-bikes, bikesharing and cargo delivery bikes. E-bikes and cycling are already moving the EU towards sustainableurban mobility and our climate goals, they are proven technologies that are supported by citizens andgovernments at all levels in the EU.
The EU Green Deal calls for industrial leadership. The EU Industrial Strategy needs “EuropeanChampion” companies and Smart Value Chains that can be world leaders in their field. EU cycling
companies are these global leaders, together with the suppliers of equipment, accessories andservices that support these markets. They are operating in an industrial eco-system that is attracting
global investment in new factories while stimulating innovative and fast-growing SMEs. Hubs of newdevelopment are growing rapidly in countries like Portugal, Belgium, Bulgaria and Romania and Italy.
With this background we offer our contribution to a green EU Recovery Plan that will have rapid
impact on employment recovery, act against a second wave of the disease and add value to the actionsof Member States. This will be highly effective because it also moves towards objectives such as theEU Green Deal, it is an investment not a bail-out.
COVID recovery plan requirements:
A plan that supports economic stimulus, without creating risk of further pandemic waves.
During a return to normal economic activity reduced public transport capacity and publicanxiety cannot increase private car use in already congested cities, or lockdown will be
replaced by gridlock. Member states, cities and regions have said they need cycling to take asignificant capacity of journeys immediately or there will be a big restraint on recovery.
Frontrunner cities have shown the way by creating special cycling networks that relievepressure on urban mobility. But users need bikes that enable the same travel distances as
public transport and deliveries. This means e-bikes, shared bikes and delivery e-bikes.
Cycle tourism and leisure supported over 400,000 jobs in the EU before the pandemic. These
are important jobs in the rural economy because cyclists avoid congested hot spots and travel
to lower intensity destinations that will be vital for restarting the post COVID economy. Accessfrom cities to open space are part of the vital networks to be created.

A plan that stimulates green job creation, reemployment and the restart of capital
investments.
Cycling networks create local jobs, stimulating purchasing at local small and medium sizedbusinesses in all sectors and locations. Cycling businesses cover a complete spectrum fromlocal bike sharing, cycling delivery services, cycle retail, leisure and tourism to our leading
global champions.
There are significant major investment projects in the cycling sector which have attracted
global investors to build new factories in Europe, many of which can see a rapid restart toactivity when given a strong market signal from the EU.
Strategic investments that support the EU Green Deal and a green COVID-recovery.
As well as the urban mobility capacity that is needed to support all employment growth in thefirst stage of COVID-19 recovery there is a much bigger range of strategic benefits for the EUin this plan.
Investment in a cycling recovery plan provides an immediate return on investment for the EU
Green Deal. Each extra cyclist delivers reductions in CO2 emissions, air pollution, noise andcongestion, especially in cities where 70% of EU citizens live. There are consequential benefits
in improved public health and road safety, while improved environmental conditions
stimulate local economies.
Each Euro spent on a bicycle creates more green employment than the same Euro spent on
cars and similarly each Euro spent on cycling infrastructure creates more jobs than similar
expenditure on road highways so these investments are exceptional value for money.
A plan that supports EU values of fairness, access for all and the principles of the single market.
E-bikes are an EU success story. But the benefits are unevenly distributed, with the advanced
markets purchasing 100 times more bikes per capita than the least developed countries. There
are price, availability and service barriers in many countries that prevent a full market accessbeing established. This can be changed by the right level of investment to reach a tipping point
or critical mass in the low uptake countries.
Previous recessions have seen “bail-outs” that have prevented reform of sustainable mobility
and undermined multi-modal transport solutions. This has to change. Under fair single market
rules we challenge any exclusive scrappage scheme for automotive industries unless funding
is balanced with similar schemes for bicycles as proposed here.
Specific recommendations:
At the Cycling Industries Europe Annual Summit 2020 we set out our plan for COVID-19 recovery basedon three main proposals which will meet all of the criteria set out above.
1. A centralised EU E-bike Access Fund.
This fund will make the benefits of e-bikes available in all countries in the EU and stimulate
European jobs in European Champion companies of all sizes including bike sharing and bikes
for commercial services.

A fund of €5.4 billion has been calculated to be the amount needed to take the e-bike market
through “tipping point” in a further 22 countries, by implementing either purchase premiums
or bike sharing, rental and leasing schemes.
2. A comprehensive network of so called “COVID lanes” or similar infrastructure which will
immediately facilitate cycling access in cities and stimulate green and sustainable mobility.
An EU wide target for the amount of road network converted to additional cycling capacity isproposed, benchmarked on the proposals from Ile de France and City of Paris. The target is95,000 kilometres which is available for both increased commuting and business deliveries.
Funding of EU recovery funds and subsequently EU Green Deal funds to a value of €2 billion
should be made available to cities for the initial cost of creating the lanes and then making
them permanent.
3. Leveraging the EU’s financial support for the goals of the European Cycling Strategy.
The proposal for an EU Cycling Strategy was presented to the EU Commission in 2017,
following recommendations from the EU Parliament and the EU Member States.
This remains the document of record for what could and should be implemented in EU Policy
to deliver a comprehensive increase in cycling across the EU by 2030, a major contribution tothe EU’s climate and environmental goals.
In particular it calls for an expenditure of €6billion per EU budget period to be spent on cycling
through central and structural funds. In the budget ending 2020 the expenditure is expected
to be just €2billion, therefore there is a need to accelerate the allocation and take up of funds
for cycling at all levels of the EU to get to at least €6billion in the forthcoming budget round.
More details on each proposal can be given in terms of delivery and calculation as required.
We trust you to make strategic investments that will deliver outstanding impacts for the EU both at
this challenging time and going forward. We look forward to working with you to achieve these results
by delivering these dedicated cycling investments.

Yours sincerely,
The organisations listed below: