Making cycling a lever for our economy by supporting the ecosystem of French players in the sector
Velo & Marche Plan 2023 - 2027: 1st Interministerial Committee
May 2023
Achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 means continuing and stepping up the reduction of greenhouse gases throughout the country. While we are on the right track, this objective requires additional efforts every day, and requires us to transform the way we live, consume and produce. It also means revolutionising the transport sector and decarbonising our mobility. To give every French person access to clean mobility, Elisabeth Borne’s government wants to make cycling a lever for the French economy by supporting the ecosystem of players in the sector.
To download : 23100_dp-plan-velo-2023.pdf (1.5 MiB)
« The 2023-2027 plan has a number of objectives, including making cycling a lever for our economy by supporting French players. We need to be able to cycle on cycle paths in France with bicycles made in France. Today we are announcing the pro- chain launch of a call for projects to strengthen the French bicycle industry and bring back an everyday industry to our regions ».
Roland Lescure Minister attached to the Minister for the Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty, with responsibility for Industry
Structuring an economic sector
Following the Estates General hosted by the Ministry of Industry, the bicycle industry is actively pursuing its work to define, with its stakeholders, a structure, governance and projects that will support the industry’s commitments. At the end of this work, an industry contract will be signed with the government in 2023, setting out the ambitions presented at the General Assembly. A call for projects will be launched in 2023 to support reindustrialisation and innovation in the French cycle sector. The aim is to encourage manufacturers to innovate, and to relocate the production of components and the assembly of bicycles.
In 2022, 854,000 bicycles were assembled in French factories. The aim is to exceed 1.4 million by 2027 and reach 2 million by 2030.
Developing the French reconditioned bicycle industry
100 million more over the next 5 years through the extended producer responsibility (EPR) channels to give purchasing power back to the French by financing bicycle repairs:
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more reconditioned bikes at a better price ;
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increasing repair bonuses to include electric bikes, maintenance parts and repair cafés.
« Cycle tourism is a strategic issue for tourism in France and for the French people, both in terms of sustainability and the development of new tourist routes and itineraries. Our ambition is clear: to make France the world’s leading destination for sustainable tourism, as well as the leading destination for cycle tourism. The stakes are all the higher because the cycle tourism sector creates jobs and wealth in France, with economic spin-offs of nearly 5 billion euros. Our country has the resources to match its ambitions, and it’s up to us to use them to achieve our goals. »
Olivia Grégoire Minister with responsibility for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Trade, Craft Trades and Tourism
Developing cycle tourism
To make France the world’s leading cycling destination by 2030, we need to develop a national strategy for cycle tourism. Vélo & Territoires is currently working with stakeholders in the sector, culminating in the submission of a white paper to the Minister for Tourism. Based on these recommendations, the strategy will be steered by the State, in association with associations, local authorities and economic players.
Developing cycle logistics
To support the transition to carbon-free last-mile logistics, VAT on the purchase, hire and maintenance of cargo bikes whose technical characteristics make them suitable for transporting goods is deductible under the conditions of ordinary law, in the same way as tax on light commercial vehicles. This is the case when cargo bikes do not have the devices required by law for transporting children (passenger seat and, depending on the case, straps or handles and footrests).
The Cyclo-cargologie programme, designed to help SMEs in the cyclogistics sector to structure their operations, will be launched shortly. Spearheaded by Les Boîtes à vélo, the programme is funded by €7 million in energy-saving certificates.
France has signed the Bicycle Declaration along with fourteen other European countries (Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain). In February, the European Parliament adopted a resolution aimed at developing a European cycling strategy. Alongside the signatory countries and the European Parliament, France is calling on the European Commission to propose a European cycling strategy and to make 2024 the European Year of Cycling.