Green Mobility in Central and Eastern Europe Under EU Guidance : Where Do We Stand Today?
European institutions are caught in a difficult position, trying to balance the ambitious ecological agenda of Western Europe with the cautious, economically driven approach of Eastern and Central European countries.
As early as 2019, two months before the presentation of the European Green Deal, press articles were claiming that “Sovereignty versus nature: Central and Eastern Europe not ready to fight for environment at all costs.” Although there was early recognition of the potential for aligning priorities across different European spheres, this has not significantly altered the outcomes we see today.
Then, as now, countries transitioning to market economies were reluctant to compromise the results of decades of economic resilience, particularly as Western European policy leaders displayed signs of economic strain over newly developed ecological policies. Many observers even highlighted the possibility of transforming Central and Eastern Europe into a “new driver” of economic growth within the EU and under these circumstances, it is unsurprising that Eastern European countries remain determined to preserve their socio-economic freedom of maneuver in climate policy, seeking to avoid dependence on their western counterparts’ decisions. The patterns established during the early years of the European Green Deal persist across Eastern Europe. Economic priorities and political caution continue to influence decision-making locally as the situation progresses steadily but reveals notable challenges.
Urban transportation and micromobility improvements
The economic growth along with European cohesion funds allows eastern and central European countries to Modernize their infrastructure which, by nowadays standards, helps to reduce carbon emissions while improving efficiency and resource use.
Bike-sharing programs and electric public transport are multiplying, illustrating a growing interest in more sustainable solutions, even if they have not yet significantly reshaped the overall car market. A key element for understanding the dynamics of sustainable mobility in Eastern Europe is the role of SUMPs (Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans) and the European CIVITAS program. These initiatives are not limited to certain countries: they are applicable across all EU member states and provide an essential framework for planning and financing the transition towards green mobility. SUMPs serve as a roadmap for cities and regions to organize public transport, develop cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, encourage carpooling, and foster the adoption of electric vehicles.
In the case of Hungary and Romania, municipalities have benefited from training sessions, peer exchanges, and technical support that help strengthen planning capacities and adapt mobility strategies to local contexts. Parallel programs like CIVINET have encouraged cooperation between cities and facilitated access to European funds, allowing urban areas to design transport systems with long-term sustainability in mind. This growing institutional maturity has laid the groundwork for more coherent mobility policies, aligning local governance with European ambitions for greener and more connected cities.
However, beyond their planning value, SUMPs have also been a prerequisite since 2015 to access Cohesion Fund financing for specific urban mobility projects, which has significantly increased their adoption throughout the Union. Without a compliant SUMP plan, a city risks losing access to the subsidies needed to modernize its infrastructure.
Building on this, the region is witnessing a gradual but steady shift away from private car dependence toward collective transport and soft mobility. While the official outcomes of these incentives are yet to be quantified, some number hints the effect of public powers action for this matter. In Czechia for example, public transport remains a dominant mode, with around 71% of Prague’s residents using it daily which is a share that has been in constant growth since 2019. Hungarian and Romanian cities are following the same direction, launching projects to improve multimodal integration and promote active travel, while Slovakia has directed both EU and national funds toward expanding non-motorised transport schemes. These examples reveal a common regional movement: one where promoting shared and low-emission mobility is seen not just as an environmental imperative, but as a lever for economic efficiency and social inclusion.
Micromobility has also become a crucial element of this transition. In Prague, the number of shared-bike trips has grown by one-third in recent years, surpassing 750,000 rides through platforms such as PID Lítáčka, Rekola, and Nextbike. Demand for better cycling infrastructure is also increasing. Taking the example of the city Brno, surveys show that over 90% of residents want improved route connectivity and safer crossings, while Slovakia has approved over 150 km of new cycle paths and now counts 550 km of functional commuting routes alongside 14,500 km of recreational trails. As these trends converge, a new urban mobility landscape is taking shape where investment, planning, and public behavior are gradually aligning toward more balanced and sustainable transport systems.
Struggles Around the mandatory EV Shift
While partly attributable to the broader economic context, the slowdown in new electric vehicle registrations is closely linked to the withdrawal of consumer subsidies. In France, the end of the ecological bonus that subsidized low-emission vehicle purchases significantly reduced EV demand, though some support remains through limited social leasing schemes for low-income households and privately funded purchase incentives. This shows that what primarily fueled the EV push in Western Europe was the relative affordability of electric vehicles when both wages and subsidies were taken into account, despite the fact that charging infrastructure was (and still is) insufficient.
A similar situation unfolded in Poland, where the suspension of the Mój Elektryk program in August 2024 led to a 3% year-on-year drop in EV registrations. While urban planning can facilitate the transition, direct subsidies aimed at consumers remain the most effective tool. Rapidly growing economies in Eastern Europe are seeing a strong increase in new vehicle registrations as middle-class purchasing power expands. This represents a major opportunity to accelerate the shift, as these markets traditionally lag behind: the average age of vehicles exceeds 14 years in every country of the region, compared to less than 8 years in Luxembourg. In Poland, for instance, the automotive market experienced a spectacular rebound in 2024, with 551,600 new cars registered, an increase of 16.1% compared to the previous year, while sales in Western Europe have at best stagnated.
Yet, funding remains insufficient to steer consumers decisively toward EVs. According to the latest ACEA data, EVs represent only 3% to 7% of sales across Eastern European countries, far from the 25% share needed to align with the Green Deal’s 2030 objectives. Infrastructure to support the transition is also underdeveloped: older vehicle fleets imply different technological needs, while charging networks, garages, technical expertise, and spare parts remain scarce from an operational standpoint.
Nevertheless, countries have not remained inactive. Cities are actively expanding charging infrastructure and shared mobility services. By May 2025, Poland had 5,175 charging stations, an impressive 50% increase compared to the previous year.
Towards a Better Use of European Ressources
The European Union has kept subsidizing the transition toward alternative modes of transportation and urban adaptation through a confusing amount of programs such as ENDURANCE, CH4LLENGE, CIVITAS PROSPERITY, SUMPs for BSR, Park4SUMP, NXTLVL Parking, ELABORATOR, URBANE, SPINE, DISCO, REALLOCATE, AMIGOS, and UPPER, all aimed at guiding cities and states toward effective planning. While management, planning, auditing, and monitoring are all addressed throughout the numerous available documents, the direct impact of these heavily funded initiatives remains difficult to assess. From a five-step online course offered by a German consulting firm on how and why to park a bike, to theoretical recommendations emerging from meetings on parking planning or webinars attended by only a handful of participants, the websites and resources documenting past initiatives are still hosted and accessible, displaying to anyone willing to dig the rabbithole, how the financial resources have been allocated under cohesion plans to transform mobility. Ironically, monitoring parking for automated vehicles is being discussed in the myriad of documents, even as Europe noticeably falls behind China and the US in the development and integration of these technologies, while still describing them as the future of transportation despite enforcing regulations that slow their adoption.
Urban planning is not only critically important for this geographic region whose economy is driving rapid urban expansion and risks future problems if planning is inadequate but also for sustainability, as a more efficient layering of transportation methods allows faster and more ecological mobility. Some countries have moved their capitals, others struggle with traffic, some have lost attractiveness, and others have undergone painful transformations. However, while SUMPs have proven to influence urban planning in cities, their significant success stemmed from the 2015 requirement that a SUMP be in place in order for city projects to qualify for European funding.The European mobility observatory hints for example that Hungary has only started presenting SUMP when necessary to get those funds meaning that this economically dynamic region is willing to adapt to better urban plans at the condition it it financed by European funds since priorities have been set differently than in western Europe.
The same kind of funding that is now essential to push for a larger EV adoption and to support the struggling EV market, not only in ecological regions but also for European car manufacturers facing unprecedented downturns. The shift toward sustainable mobility requires leadership, not just management. These incentives represent a significant step in a particular direction, whether or not it is the “right” one, but the actions taken to enforce them are more important than the principles alone, ensuring progress continues rather than simply slowing movement toward another path.
European car manufacturing regulations and thermic engines ban for 2035 remain threatening for manufacturers, EV sales have yet to take off, and the current situation appears stagnant especially when knowing that policies for EV adoption are country based and not under EU supervision. Leadership is urgently needed to drive movement, rather than simply pushing for sanctions if the deadlines are not met while a whole industry suffers and risks future bailouts paid by the same European funds in the name of industrial sovereignty. The french senate has announced its national automotive industry is on the brink of failure, chancellor Mertz is pushing for the cancellation of the 2035 thermic vehicles ban and some industry leaders simply gave up on their EV-only policy and hope the ban will not be effective as it would mean that regardless of their electrification plans, that the company will not be economically viable. Although not coordinated around a common standpoint, countries from this region will probably not blindly follow the path set by western europe countries, especially when looking up at the industrial and economical perspectives of both sides. So while encouraging improvements are made on one side, if the European institutions want to keep up with their commitment in climate action and not lower down their future targets, taking advantage of surging car demand in eastern Europe to support their policies is necessary. It is now in the hands of the European Commission to wisely examine its targets and solutions to accommodate European stakeholders to these internally spurred challenges.