European Cyclists' Federation is an umbrella federation for national cycling organizations throughout Europe. ECF was founded in 1983 by 12 bicycle user associations. It has now 81 member organizations representing individual citizens from 45 countries worldwide. ECF actively promotes and encourages cycling worldwide while trying to enforce cycling policy at European level. One of its goals is to promote cycle tourism as a sustainable economic factor and environment-friendly mobility. It also focuses on the security of cyclists, safety for vulnerable road users and increase of cycling modal share. In addition, ECF runs the Velo-city Conference Series, the EuroVelocycle route project and lobbies European and international institutions.
Mission
The European Cyclists' Federation is pledged to ensure that bicycle use achieves its fullest potential so as to bring about sustainable mobility and public well-being. To achieve these aims, the ECF seeks to change attitudes, policies and budget allocations at the European level. The ECF will stimulate and organize the exchange of information and expertise on bicycle related transport policies and strategies as well as the work of the cyclists' movement. The European Cyclists' Federation has set a number of goals for 2020 in a project entitled "2020 Objectives." Their goals are:
Investment in recreational cycling and tourism is comparable to transport investments
Organization
ECF is a legal entity registered under Belgian law as an ASBL. Its statutes are published in the Moniteur Belge of April 24, 1997.
General Meetings
The Annual General Meeting is the highest decision-making body of the ECF which gathers all member organisations. The AGM traditionally takes place in May and is organized by one member organization. The AGM approves the yearly work plan, budget and new board members, it also approves new members. The AGMs have taken place in various locations: 2009 Brussels, 2010 Gdansk, 2011 Seville, 2012 Vienna, 2013 Brussels, 2014 Dublin, 2015 Nantes, 2016 Stockholm, 2017 Ede, 2018 Milano,
Board
Board members are elected for 3 years. The latest board members were elected in 2018 in Milan, Italy. As of May 2018 the ECF president is Christophe Najdovski, vice-mayor of Paris.
Projects
Velo-city
is widely respected as the premier international cycling planning conference series in the world. Velo-city began in 1980, and has played a part in the promotion of cycling ever since. The Velo-city conferences bring together all those who are involved in the policy, promotion and provision of cycling. This mixture of people, professions, skills and experience is a valuable component of the events' success. Since 2010, Velo-city has taken place every year internationally. The first Velo-city Global took place in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2010. Since then conferences have taken place in numerous locations, such as in Seville in 2011, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in 2012 and Vienna in 2013. Adelaide in 2014 and in Nantes in 2015, in 2016 it was held in Taipei and in 2017 in the region Arnhem - Nijmegen. In 2018 it will be organised in Rio the Janeiro and in 2019 in Dublin.
EuroVelo – A cycle route network for Europe
The EuroVelo network has 15 routes with well over 40,000 km of bike paths in use. Thousands more are planned and when completed, it will total over 70,000 km. The network includes existing and planned regional and national cycle routes, crossing and uniting the whole European continent.
ActiveVoice
Bike2Work
CHIPS
FLOW
Furthering Less Congestion by Creating Opportunities For More Walking and Cycling or "FLOW" takes a trans-disciplinary approach to congestion reduction, and aims to create and implement a new state-of-the-art by integrating the FLOW methodology and congestion assessment tools into the current standard transport impact analysis process.
Networks
Cities for cyclists
Scientists for Cycling
The Scientists for Cycling group works to exchange their knowledge and research in order to improve cycling. The main aims of the network are: to build a strong academic community doing research on cycling-related topics; to bridge the gap between the research on cycling issues, cycling advocates and decision makers; to disseminate the latest academic publications on cycling; to assist in developing the Velo-city conference program; to build up a more research based approach to cycling advocacy and policy.
Cycling Industry Club
The Cycling Industry Club was created at EuroBike in 2011, and has since become the biggest player on Europe's advocacy scene. It is working with ECF.
World Cycling Alliance
Cycling Forum Europe
Advocacy
In order to influence the position of European authorities, ECF is working on several issues:
Global policies
Cycling and New Technologies
Cycling economy
ECF raises awareness and carries out research about returns of investment for cycling infrastructures; job creation ; economic impact of cycling, etc.
Cycling tourism
Health and Environment
ECF underlines the fact that cycling generates also positive externalities in the field of health. Therefore, it supports a number of projects that ECF Member organizations have set up like the "Bike to Work" and "Bike to School" plans.
Road Safety
Urban Mobility
ECF’s main target is more and safer cycling in Europe. According to Eurobarometer, 7.4% of European citizen used the bicycle as their primary means of transport in 2010. By 2020, ECF seeks to see the level of cycling at 15% of the modal split. At the same time, the risk of a serious or fatal accident should decrease by 50%.
Members
Full membership is open to European groups of cycle users, and entitles them to vote at ECF Annual General Meetings. Associate membership is open to: European groups that do not meet the criteria for full membership but that support the aims of the ECF, cycling organizations from outside Europe or other bodies with an interest in cycling. They pay the agreed subscription, receive material and may attend the AGM or working groups meetings, but do not have voting rights at meetings.
