MOBIEL 21 VZW

Their core work

Mobiel 21 is a Belgian NGO based in Leuven that promotes sustainable urban mobility through behaviour change, citizen engagement, and capacity building for cities and regions. They specialise in helping local authorities develop and implement Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs), with deep expertise in cycling promotion, parking management, and inclusive transport design. Their work bridges the gap between policy, research, and on-the-ground community action — running living labs, citizen science campaigns, and knowledge exchange networks like CIVITAS across Europe.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2015–2018), Mobiel 21 focused on traditional sustainable transport themes: cycling tracking (TRACE), SUMP capacity building (Prosperity), and parking management as a tool for modal shift (Park4SUMP). From 2019 onward, their work shifted toward network coordination, citizen science, and digital inclusion — running the CIVITAS secretariat, engaging citizens in traffic data collection (WeCount), and addressing social exclusion in digital transport systems (DIGNITY). The trajectory shows a clear move from technical mobility planning toward community-driven, digitally inclusive urban transport governance.

Mobiel 21 is moving toward participatory, citizen-driven approaches to urban mobility, combining digital tools with social inclusion — expect them to pursue projects where communities co-create transport solutions.

How they like to work

Mobiel 21 operates primarily as an active partner (6 of 9 projects), but has proven coordination capability with two projects led, including the high-profile CIVITAS ELEVATE. With 112 unique consortium partners across 29 countries, they are a well-connected hub in the European sustainable mobility community rather than a repeat-partner organisation. Their network breadth and CIVITAS coordination role make them an accessible entry point for organisations wanting to join European urban mobility projects.

Extensive European network spanning 112 unique partners across 29 countries, built largely through CIVITAS and SUMP-related projects. Their coordination of CIVITAS ELEVATE positions them as a central node in Europe's sustainable urban mobility community.

What sets them apart

Mobiel 21 sits at a rare intersection: they are both a grassroots community organisation and a European-level network coordinator. Unlike consultancies or research institutes working on urban mobility, they bring genuine citizen engagement expertise — running living labs, citizen observatories, and participatory processes that connect policy with real people. Their CIVITAS coordination role gives them unmatched access to city networks and mobility practitioners across Europe.

Highlights from their portfolio

• CIVITAS ELEVATE
  Their largest project (EUR 871K) and a coordination role running the CIVITAS 2020 secretariat — positions them as a central player in European urban mobility policy.
• Park4SUMP
  Coordinated project (EUR 862K) demonstrating how parking management can drive sustainable transport — an underexplored but high-impact policy lever.
• WeCount
  Pioneered citizen-led traffic counting observatories, blending citizen science with transport planning in a way few mobility organisations attempt.