The “SMARTA-NET – Sustainable rural mobility for resilience in support of ecotourism” project is an initiative of the European Commission, promoted by the General Directorate for Mobility and Transport – DG MOVE – and supported by the General Directorate for Agriculture and Rural Development – DG AGRI – as part of the European strategy for sustainable mobility in rural areas. The two-year project, mobilised on 1^st December 2022, aims to promote different types of mobility and sustainable transport in rural areas, and to encourage the integration of sustainable shared mobility solutions with public transport in rural and peripheral territories, with a focus on touristic areas.

MemEx, leader of the Consortium composed by the research institute NIT – Institut fur Tourismsus und Baderforschung in Norderuopa Gmbh (GE), Panteia (NL), E40 Europe (HU) and TISPT – Consultores em Transportes Inovacao e Sistemas sa (PT) was awarded this project through the European Commission Tender No. MOVE/B3/SER/2021/643.

The project aims to create a transnational network of public authorities, named European Rural Mobility Network (ERMN), to promote the exchange of experience, training activities, policies, and guidelines on sustainable mobility. The network will consist of more than 75 municipalities from 15 different countries, and will include both public bodies at different levels such as municipalities, regions, governments, and private entities as multipliers, associations, and other practitioners. The network, already operational and functioning, showed a continuous growth in the number of participants, and in their involvement in the project in the last year.

Moreover, SMARTA-NET is organising 4 training meetings for the ERMN members. These events will be held in 2023 and 2024 in each of the involved countries in their own language. These meetings are aimed both to provide and share guidelines, good practices and knowledge on sustainable mobility and tourism in rural areas, and to create discussion among the participants on the activities and challenges of their territories, and on possible cooperation actions.

MemEx is the author of the Guidance and Catalogue on Sustainable Rural Mobility Good Practices in Europe. If you are interested to consult publications, documents and stay updated on the project activities click here.