New guidelines to improve EU sustainable urban mobility planning

The third edition (2026) of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning (SUMP) Guidelines will provide cities across Europe with improved support to plan, develop and implement sustainable urban mobility.

Over the past decade, SUMP has become a widely recognised and well-applied approach. Hundreds of cities have developed SUMPs, supported by EU policies, funding programmes and a strong community of practitioners sharing knowledge and experience. This has made SUMP a key tool for shaping more sustainable, inclusive and efficient urban transport systems.

The updated SUMP Guidelines are aligned with key frameworks, such as the European Green Deal, the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy and the new EU Urban Mobility Framework. Importantly, the Regulation on trans-European transport networks (TEN-T) now requires 431 urban nodes across Europe to adopt a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan by end 2027, further strengthening the role of SUMP in transport planning.

In this context, the update of the SUMP Guidelines was initiated in 2024. It is based on a thorough review of existing guidance, current practices and recent developments. Extensive consultation with practitioners and experts, ensured that the updated SUMP Guidelines reflect real needs and practical challenges faced by cities.

Related to the SUMP Guidelines, the SUMP Reference Document on Cycling and the Urban Vehicle Access Regulations (UVARs) were published, with the first providing guidance on incorporating cycling throughout the SUMP process, while the second focuses on regulating vehicle access to cities as part of integrated mobility policies.

Full edition of the SUMP Guidelines