The SMARTA-NET Project hosted its Final Conference in Brussels (Belgium) to highlight the diversity of rural contexts and explore how mobility and tourism solutions could be developed and implemented according to specific local conditions. The event provided an opportunity to learn about the outcomes of the various SMARTA-NET activities, including guidance elaboration, training, and evaluation analysis. It also focused on urban and rural linkages and on the SMARTA-NET recommendations to enhance SUMPs while considering the requirements and needs of rural areas.
When: was held on 23 – 24 October
Where: Brussels, Belgium
Venue:
Getting to Brussels & Welcome Drink
19:00
Welcome Drink at Brasserie Le Roy d’Espagne, Grand Place 1, 1000 Brussels.
Navigating through SMARTA-NET Findings
Venue: Les Ateliers des Tanneurs, Rue des Tanneurs 58-62 1000 Brussels
08:30 – 09:00
Welcome coffee and registration
09:00 – 10:15
Morning plenary – What the ERMN members gets from SMARTA-NET
General introduction about SMARTA-NET project and achievements
Brendan Finn, MemEx
SMARTA-NET resources and guide to the updated website
Edina Ocsko, E40
SMARTA-NET training, available materials and upcoming module
Tiago Pina, TIS
Validating SMARTA-NET Outcomes:
Sharing experiences from Lighthouse Sites
Bente Grimm, NIT – Matilde Vezzani, MemEx
10:15 – 10:50
10:50 – 13:15
5 tables in World Café style
Findings from the tables
Tables rapporteurs
13:15 – 14:00
Lunch break
14:00 – 15:30
Parallel Workshops
15:30 – 15:50
Coffee Break
15:50 – 17:45
Afternoon plenary- Reaching Conclusions
Moderator: Brendan Finn, MemEx
Panelists:
Future of the ERMN
Andrea Lorenzini, MemEx
Final Conference Day 2: Key messages, logistics information
Brendan Finn, Elena Bargagna, MemEx
17:45
Conclusion of Day 1
19:30
Dinner at La Taverne du Passage (Galerie de la Reine 30, 1000 Bruxelles)
Building recommendations for Rural mobility 2.0
Venue: Berlaymont – Robert Schuman Room – Rue de la Loi, 200, 1049, Brussels
08:30 – 09:30
Welcome and registration
09:30 – 10:00
Welcome note
Brendan Finn, MemEx
Keynote address from DG-MOVE
Eddy Liégeois, Acting Director, investment, innovative and sustainable transport, DG MOVE
SMARTA-NET key achievements, including European Rural Mobility Network (ERMN) events, Guidance, and trainings
Andrea Lorenzini, MemEx
What key messages did rural municipalities of the ERMN agree yesterday?
Edina Ocsko, E40
10:00 – 11:15
First Thematic session: Urban-Rural Linkages
Rural Access Challenges and Framework of Solutions – Good Practice and Catalogue of Solutions
Elena Bargagna, MemEx
Solutions within the public transport framework – Case of Alentejo, Portugal
Alexandra Correia, Alentejo Regional Development Agency, Portugal
Solution based on community and volunteering – Case of Kusel District, Germany
Karl-Heinz Schoon, Kusel District, Germany
Moderated Q&A
Incorporating rural aspects within Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs)
André Freitas, TIS
Reflections on Functional Urban-Rural transport planning
Moderated Q&A
Moderator: Edina Ocsko, E40
Panelists:
11:15 – 11:45
Coffee Break
11:45 – 12:30
Second Thematic session: Advancing Rural Mobiity
Enhancing mobility in support of rural tourism, with particular reference to “tourism without my car”
Bente Grimm, NIT
Offering tourists mobility without the car – case from Greece
Vasilis Myriokefalitakis, Municipality of Rethymno, Greece
Greenways and support to cycling tourism – case of Vidzeme Region, Latvia
Raitis Sijats, Latvia Greenways Association
Moderated Q&A
Overview and profile of the ERMN – purpose, activities, participants, training, concepts for future
Andrea Lorenzini, MemEx
Discussion on possible way forward with ERMN members
Carmelo Rivero, Barcelona Provincial Council, Spain
Declan Turnbull, Mayo County Council, Ireland
Adéla Pixová, LAG Sdružení Růže, Czechia
Moderated contributions from floor and online audience
12:30 – 13:00
Closing session: Towards rural mobility 2.0
(Policy) Recommendations from the SMARTA-NET Evaluation
Geert Koops, Panteia
Key messages from SMARTA-NET about goals, scale, funding, etc.
Brendan Finn, MemEx
Conclusions and closing: A couple of take aways
Isabelle Vandoorne, Deputy Head of Unit Innovation and research, DG MOVE – Rafał Stanecki, Policy officer, DG MOVE
13:00 – 14:00
Lunch at venue
14:00+
Participants depart for home/onward travel