Multilevel cycling development: Where to start from? ECF Development workshop Evgeny Apostolov, Sofia, ECF gratefully acknowledges financial support from the European Commission.

INSPIRED Inclusion of cycling policies in the plans for regional development and in all relevant national strategies. Focus of the panel: plans for regional development and identification of cycling policies presenting an initial methodology for inclusion of cycling policies in the plans for regional development interlinks between national, regional and municipal development plans and cycling policies 2

The aim: The “INSPIRED” INITIATIVE aims to establish a European Interoperability Platform that will allow Regional Authorities to implement cycling policies in the PRD through profiled financial support 3

Back ground The research for the proper way to promote cycling in Bulgaria led us to the conclusion that there are many barriers (financial, political and administrative) on the way and the process of inclusion of Cycling Policies in the Plans for Regional Development (INSPIRED) would help to solve them all. Most of the conclusions were obtained through the experience of promoting cycling in Bulgaria and it is relevant to most south-east European countries. Initial consultations were done with ECF 4

Target: Raising funds or receiving support from relevant EU Institutions, with the aim to transform the present work into a Methodology, and later into a working Platform and/or an active Project. 5

Concept The inclusion of Cycling Policies in the Regional Development Plans would be a key policy for the promotion of Cycling as part of the Urban Transport Networks, and as a Touristic activity. The present work aims to show the specific problems in Bulgaria and South Eastern European countries and the possible solutions 6

Supporting EU institutions Assembly of European Regions Committee of European Regions 7

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