On 17 September 2025, ALICE contributed to a high-level policy session at the European Parking Association’s biennial Conference in Brussels, titled “𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 – 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 & 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐔𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐧 𝐋𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 & 𝐒𝐔𝐋𝐏𝐬.”

Moderated by ALICE Board Member Paola Cossu (CEO, FIT Consulting srl), this session was facilitated by the EU-funded DISCO Project, bringing together representatives from ALICE, POLIS network and the European Parking Association to discuss joint strategic initiatives that support the reallocation and multifunctional use of urban spaces answering to cities mobility landscape transformation and realizing business opportunities.

Fernando Liesa, ALICE Secretary General, emphasised the vital role of logistics in creating liveable cities, underscoring the importance of collaboration with cities and infrastructure providers to capitalise on business opportunities through digitalisation, standardisation, and enhanced policy alignment.

𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧:
✅ Leveraging digital tools to transform parking infrastructure into energy hubs and logistics micro-hubs
✅ The role of EU frameworks such as TEN-T (Trans-European Transport Network) Urban Nodes, AFIR (Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation), EGUM (Expert Group on Urban Mobility) and UVARs (Urban Vehicle Access Regulations) in the transformation of urban freight
✅Concrete use cases from DISCO Project (Ghent), DELPHI_EU project (Cluj-Napoca) and URBANE Project (Bologna), showing how rethinking space and infrastructure sharing can improve logistics efficiency.
✅Future potential of digital platforms such as the “WareM&O Platform” for shared warehouse access (as tested in Thessaloniki)
✅Linking strategic R&I efforts through initiatives like the IKIGAI project and the ERTRAC – European Road Transport Research Advisory Council Urban Mobility Working Group

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐄, 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐒 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐏𝐀, 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫:

🔹A systemic approach to urban planning and freight integration
🔹Wider deployment of SUMPs (Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans) and SULPs (Sustainable Urban Logistics Plans)
🔹Stronger cooperation in developing urban freight data spaces
🔹Engagement of parking operators in Horizon Europe

This Joint Statement marks a significant step toward harmonised and inclusive strategies for zero-emission urban logistics in Europe.

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