104. Acknowledges the essential role of local authorities, companies and citizens in securing energy independence by increasing energy efficiency through: better urban planning; the development of energy-related internet and ICT technologies; the deployment of smart grids, demand-side energy management, cogeneration, alternative fuels infrastructure and heat pump applications; self-consumption; and the establishment, modernisation and expansion of district heating and cooling systems; stresses the need to encourage citizens-based initiatives, such as cooperative- or comm ...[+++]unity-based renewable energy projects, to strengthen the link between citizens and energy service companies, to encourage the use of more active and sustainable travel models, to develop and implement Smart Cities solutions, to deploy future-proof distribution infrastructure to support urban eco-mobility and to promote the renovation, as well as insulation, of buildings, including by homogenous insulation; proposes that all multi-level governance partners be brought together in an operational interface that actively involves the Covenant of Mayors;

101. Acknowledges the essential role of local authorities, companies and citizens in securing energy independence by increasing energy efficiency through: better urban planning; the development of energy-related internet and ICT technologies; the deployment of smart grids, demand-side energy management, cogeneration, alternative fuels infrastructure and heat pump applications; self-consumption; and the establishment, modernisation and expansion of district heating and cooling systems; stresses the need to encourage citizens-based initiatives, such as cooperative- or comm ...[+++]unity-based renewable energy projects, to strengthen the link between citizens and energy service companies, to encourage the use of more active and sustainable travel models, to develop and implement Smart Cities solutions, to deploy future-proof distribution infrastructure to support urban eco-mobility and to promote the renovation, as well as insulation, of buildings, including by homogenous insulation; proposes that all multi-level governance partners be brought together in an operational interface that actively involves the Covenant of Mayors;

46. Recalls the political importance of delegations in Parliament´s work inside and outside the Union; notes, however, the apparently wide disparity in costs per Member per day (ranging from EUR 1 400 to EUR 5 300) on different delegations, particularly those outside the Union; calls on its Bureau, in collaboration with all DGs concerned, to develop principles for a more economic and uniform cost structure for delegation visits, in particular taking account of their political importance and duration, and the optimum ratio of Members to staff; calls for the development of an IT budget consolidation system which will give ...[+++]detailed information of the budget for each delegation and will improve the management of spending; calls in future, where travel is undertaken by delegations, for a detailed statement of costs for all those travelling;

15. Is of the opinion that an effective urban mobility policy should take into account the transport of persons as well as of freight and must therefore be based on as fully integrated an approach as possible, bringing together the solutions best suited to each individual problem; firmly believes that urban areas have economically sound potential to offer for further modal shift policies in favour of public transport, walking, and cycling and for a new approach to urban logistics; considers it essential in this connection to focus on technological innovation (wider use of ITSs), better exploitation of existing infrastructure, especially by means of demand management ...[+++] measures (congestion charges and road pricing), and innovative solutions for the optimum integration of urban freight flows; and, lastly, new ways to optimise the use of private cars such as car-sharing, carpooling and arrangements for working at home;

15. Is of the opinion that an effective urban mobility policy should take into account the transport of persons as well as of freight and must therefore be based on as fully integrated an approach as possible, bringing together the solutions best suited to each individual problem; firmly believes that urban areas have economically sound potential to offer for further modal shift policies in favour of public transport, walking, and cycling and for a new approach to urban logistics; considers it essential in this connection to focus on technological innovation (wider use of ITSs), better exploitation of existing infrastructure, especially by means of demand management ...[+++] measures (congestion charges and road pricing), and innovative solutions for the optimum integration of urban freight flows; and, lastly, new ways to optimise the use of private cars such as car-sharing, carpooling and arrangements for working at home;

In order to facilitate the implementation of those Community measures, to achieve greater market penetration for renewable energy sources and to improve energy efficiency, there is a need for specific promotion programmes at Community level to create the conditions for moving towards sustainable energy systems, in particular to support the standardisation of equipment which produces or consumes renewable energy sources, to increase technology deployment and to spread best practices in demand side management.