Mobility in European Policies: A Social Right for Urban “Publicness”

Abstract

European cities today face multiple challenges: on the one hand, they are faced with a significant increase in urbanization by 2050, and on the other, they are committed to achieving the complete decarbonization of European mobility and ensuring universal access to urban areas. In this regard, the European Commission has introduced Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) as a policy tool to support local governments in developing policies that address mobility needs and promote social inclusion. SUMPs undoubtedly originate as policy tools for local authorities, but their development and implementation are entrusted to a complex multilevel governance system that is therefore not limited to the municipal level but extends upward to the point of requiring state and/or European support. From this perspective, municipal policies promote specific needs while respecting broader national and supranational regulatory frameworks and funding mechanisms. This governance structure requires balancing municipal priorities, which are closer to citizens, with global sustainability objectives, such as reducing emissions and integrating multimodal mobility, defined for example at the national/supranational level. This article aims to explore the tools available to Member States to address mobility issues within a multilevel governance framework, in accordance with EU guidelines. The right to mobility presents itself as a social right, raising questions regarding regulatory instruments, laws, tariffs, and border categories that allow or facilitate the movement of some to the detriment of others, clearly contradicting the ideal of a universal and individual right to mobility. At the same time, the increased movement of people and goods has generated and continues to generate numerous social, economic, and environmental problems and costs in terms of air and noise pollution.