Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following outcomes:

• Development and implementation of solutions for a smart urban public space design and physical infrastructure planning and management across different areas related to the transport and integrated energy systems, which enable the integration of mobility services within the city and its street network and layout.
• Mobility and/or energy solutions that respond to people’s and cities’ needs co-designed with local authorities, citizens, and stakeholders, tested and implemented in cities to achieve climate neutrality by 2030.
• Raise awareness on the potential of this policy area to support urban public space revitalization and reallocation as well as more economically viable and resilient urban environments.
• Improvement of public health with better local air quality, reducing the urban overheating and pollutant emissions (air and noise), with better conditions and infrastructure for active modes and increased liveability.
• Improve overall urban public space connectivity and the accessibility of different urban districts/neighbourhoods/industrial districts by integrating/embedding multimodality and shared services within the street/urban public space layout and infrastructure.
• More efficient and fair use of urban space through the dynamic management of space in general and of the curb side in particular, according to varying needs and functions, and with the help of digital tools.
• Contribution to a better use of vehicles (in particular public transport and active modes for passengers and for urban logistics), better use of car parking spaces for other usages, prioritising modes and shared mobility services which have the smallest impact on the public domain and environment.
• Reducing the pressure on public space thanks to reduced parking needs and integration of off-street space use in the overall public space concept.
• Creation of smart energy and/or transport services management in cities thanks to digitalisation and consumer awareness related to smart charging and energy demand response.
• Improving the planning of green infrastructures/green city zones, enhancing their capability to increase human restoration and well-being.
• Better preparedness of citizens and urban planners to shift from fossil to renewable energy and energy system integration to allow electrifying mobility, in ways that optimise the use of public space and budgets.

This call for proposals invites innovative solutions to address the challenges of optimizing limited urban public space to support sustainable urban development, mobility, and energy goals. Proposals should focus on smart urban design, planning, and management to reallocate and optimize public spaces for sustainable transport, green energy systems, and enhanced social interaction, in alignment with the EU’s Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, the Urban Mobility Framework, and climate-neutrality objectives.

Key areas of intervention include:

1. Reallocation of Space and Infrastructure Redesign – Proposals should explore integrated approaches to urban space reallocation that promote decarbonization, sustainable transport modes, and energy-efficient infrastructure. This includes fostering proximity-based urban planning concepts like the "15-minute city" and integrating green infrastructures to improve urban air quality and climate resilience.
2. Dynamic Curb-Side Management – Proposals should develop innovative, flexible management systems for curb space to accommodate diverse urban mobility and logistics needs, leveraging smart technologies, AI, and data-driven solutions.

Each proposal must include pilot demonstrations in at least three lead cities across different Member States or Associated Countries, involving both urban and suburban contexts. Proposals must also engage replication cities and design local replication plans to ensure scalability and impact. Co-design with stakeholders—civil society, public and private sectors—is essential to ensure the solutions are inclusive and widely accepted.

Expected outcomes include innovative tools, methods, and demonstrations that advance urban public space optimization, support sustainable mobility and energy goals, and enhance citizen well-being. Proposals should aim for solutions at a minimum TRL 7 by project completion, with a strong focus on digitalization, collaboration with EU platforms, and alignment with broader EU policy objectives.

1. Admissibility conditions: described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes

Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System

2. Eligible countries: described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes

A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

The following exceptions apply: subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks.

3. Other eligibility conditions: described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes

4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion: described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes

• Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes

• Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual

• Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement: described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes

Grants awarded under this topic will be linked to the following action(s):

HORIZON-MISS-2021-CIT-02-03

Collaboration with the Cities Mission Platform[[Conceived through the Horizon 2020 project NetZeroCities - Accelerating cities' transition to net zero emissions by 2030, Grant Agreement n. 101036519, and scaled up through the topic HORIZON-MISS-2021-CIT-02-03: Framework Partnership Agreement (FPA) for the Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission Platform]] is essential and projects must ensure that appropriate provisions for activities and resources aimed at enforcing this collaboration are included in the work plan of the proposal. The collaboration with the Mission Platform must be formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding to be concluded as soon as possible after the project starting date.

6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants: described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes

described in the specific topic of the Work Programme