This Monday, September 12, 2022, we were invited to Strasbourg City Hall for the plenary meeting of the Agora Strasbourg European Capital. This Agora was moderated by Jeanne Barseghian (Mayor of Strasbourg), Carole Zielinski (Deputy Mayor of Strasbourg), Karima Delli (European MP), Pascale Pfeiffer (Councillor of Alsace at the European Community of Alsace), Alain Jund (Vice President of the Eurometropolis of Strasbourg) and Christian Debeve (President of the International Relations Commission of the Grand Est Region). The points discussed concerned the 70th anniversary of the European Parliament and questions on European mobility.
70th anniversary of the European Parliament
The first half of the event focused on the 70th anniversary of the European Parliament. Indeed, from September 2022 to July 2023, several notable events will be set up on this occasion.
- The visit of the European Parliament on September 17 and 18, 2022 (European Heritage Days).
- A tram will be exclusively dedicated to the anniversary of the European Parliament.
- A meeting with the President of the Republic Emanuel Macron will take place by the end of the year.
- Europe Day will be organized in May 2023 with MEPs.
Other news were communicated, such as the importance of the European elections to be held in 2024. The main challenge of these elections is to make them known, especially to young people. Very few people really know the impacts of the actions taken by Europe.
Discussions around the challenges of Strasbourg and European mobility
It is essential to remember that transport is responsible for 30% of global greenhouse gases. Mobility is a current subject that represents an important ecological issue. In this Agora, everyone seemed to agree to insist on the interest of the place of pedestrians and cyclists in the city but also in the agglomeration. “66% of our journeys of less than three kilometers are still done by car”, a stated figure which represents a major challenge for the city and the region.
Public transport was also mentioned. Three new tram lines will open in Strasbourg and its urban area, in particular one which would connect the station to the European district (European Parliament, seat of the Council of Europe and European Court of Human Rights). It is a desire for the city, its agglomeration, and the region to improve public transport in order to gradually clean up the region. Remember that since September 2021, transport is free for children under 18 in Strasbourg.
In terms of rail traffic, a real ambition for improvement is emerging. Three projects are under discussion:
- A train connecting Strasbourg station to Frankfurt
- A train connecting the cities Basel/Mulhouse with their airport.
- A train linking Strasbourg and Brussels via Luxembourg.
Did you know? The European Mobility Week takes place from September 15 to 25, 2022 in Strasbourg. More information is on the Strasbourg Eurometropolis website.
Information on the Agora held in July 2022: here