Brussels Urban Talks – 7th Edition: Rethinking Urban Mobility Together

The 15th of October, Lille Metropole hosted the seventh edition of the Brussels Urban Talks. These regular meetings bring together representatives from European cities and metropolises, EU institutions, and urban networks, providing a space to discuss shared challenges, exchange good practices, and foster new collaborations.

This edition was dedicated to one of the most challenging issues shaping urban life today: mobility. As European metropoles work to reduce emissions, increase accessibility, and improve the quality of life of their citizens, the way we move within and between metropolitan areas has become a central element of the ecological and social transition. The session encouraged participants to reflect on how mobility policies can support more sustainable, inclusive, and smarter cities.

Throughout the morning, we heard valuable contributions and concrete examples:

European Commission priorities on mobility

European mobility priorities for 2024–2029, presented by Isabelle Vandoorne (European Commission, DG MOVE), who highlighted the EU’s ambition to accelerate the shift towards clean and connected mobility systems, strengthen transport resilience, and support innovation in urban environments.

Lille metropole

The GreenMo initiative from Lille Metropole, introduced by Laurianne Jaskolski. The project enables :

1. The integration of 27 new tram vehicles and upgrade and renovation of the tramway network
2. Creation of 220km of cycle paths
3. Purchase of clean vehicles for public transport

The project is supported by the Public Sector Loan Facility within the Just Transition Mechanism. PSLF is a blending facility. It allows Lille Metrpole to combine for this project Grants from the European Commission and loans from the European Investment Bank. Céline Depierre presented a large-scale ongoing citizens’ mobility survey, providing indispensable data in order to:

• better understand the mobility practices of local residents

• update traffic modeling tools

• develop public mobility policies «a priori» and evaluate them «a posteriori»

Lyon metropole

The Lyon Metropole’ use of car data to guide sustainable mobility decisions, explained by Pierre Soulard. This approach allows public authorities to better assess traffic flows, reduce congestion, and support the reallocation of space for active and collective transport.

IBA Metropol region München

Inspiring perspectives on public space and mobility from the IBA Metropol region München, presented by Anja Albrecht, who introduced the concept of “Spaces for Mobility” and showed how rethinking urban space can unlock new possibilities for shared, multimodal, and people-centred mobility. 

The seventh edition of the Brussels Urban Talks demonstrated once again that Europeanmetropoles are key drivers of innovation. By sharing concrete experiences, comparing approaches, and learning from one another, they are collectively shaping a more sustainable and connected future.