Car Rental Companies Left Out of EU Urban Mobility Meetings

Car rental companies are frustrated about being excluded from the European Union’s Expert Group on Urban Mobility (EGUM), according to a report by EURACTIV. The group gathers transportation players to discuss how to cut emissions in European cities.

Avis, Europcar, and Hertz wrote a letter to the European Commission to share their frustration about being left out of these urban mobility discussions.

“Our sector represents one of the earliest forms of mobility as a service (MaaS) and expects to play an important role in the shift from a vehicle ‘ownership’ to a vehicle ‘usage’ model, helping to reduce urban congestion and pollution,” the rental companies stated in the letter. “Excluding our industry’s views in discussions on the future of urban mobility therefore represents a missed opportunity for the Commission to benefit from our expertise and ideas. … ”

Under the name “the Car Rental Coalition,” they requested a meeting with officials from the Commission’s directorate general for transport to talk about the car rental sector’s contribution to urban mobility and to understand why they were left out of these EU discussions, according to the report.

“Our experience and expertise in this area cannot be replicated by other accepted stakeholders such as ride-hailing association MOVE EU or car manufacturers association ACEA,” the coalition wrote in the letter.

Currently, members of the Expert Group on Urban Mobility (EGUM) include electromobility association AVERE, the International Automobile Federation (FIA), and public transport operators’ advocacy group UITP.

When EURACTIV asked why car rental companies weren’t selected for the EGUM, a European Commission official said that 90 applications were received for 25 available places, according to the report. The car rental coalition wasn’t chosen, but it has been put on a reserve list for the expert group.

Additionally, the European Commission official said that they can invite other experts to take part if additional expertise is needed on a particular topic.

The European Commission uses this expert group to advise on upcoming legislation, with industry and non-government organizations providing recommendations. Established in October 2022, the EGUM was created to help implement the EU’s Urban Mobility Framework, which provides cities with tips to reduce transport emissions, according to the report.