Brussels, 12/05/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 12 May in Brussels, Transport Commissioner Antonio Tajani opened the 15th Velo-City conference devoted to seeking solutions for promoting cycling as a means of transport in European towns. “Around half of all journeys by car are less than 5 km long”, Tajani said in his opening speech. He stressed the “effective, healthy and fun way” to get from one place to another, a means of transport that is also promoted by the European Commission which makes bicycles available for its personnel. At European level, funding for infrastructure and development of local cycling policies comes from the Structural and Cohesion Fund in particular (according to Commission data, €600 million were invested in cycling infrastructure for the period 2007-2013, in particular in the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary and Poland), the regional cooperation programme (Interreg) and the STEER programme which is the “transport” chapter of the intelligent energy programme for Europe, and the Civitas programme. A new programme for the exchange of personnel from municipal administrations, that the Commission hopes to launch in the new future, should facilitate the training and exchange of good practice (this may also be found on the web portal of the European Local Transport Information Service, ELTIS). Organised by the Brussels region, the conference will be held until 17 May. On Friday 15 May, in the presence of Administrative Affairs Commissioner Siim Kallas, the representatives of different towns will sign a European charter, pledging to promote the use of bicycles. (A.By./transl.jl)