Transport authorities from Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon and Porto convened in Barcelona on Wednesday 4th November 2026 to strengthen collaboration on bus fleet electrification and sustainable urban mobility, during the Smart City Expo World Congress. The meeting, hosted at the headquarters of the Metropolitan Transport Authority of Barcelona (ATM), brought together over twenty representatives from public institutions and industry stakeholders across the Iberian Peninsula.
The gathering marked the second joint session this year between the Area Metropolitana de Barcelona, Autoritat de Transport Metropolità de Madrid, Área Metropolitana de Lisboa, and Autoridade Metropolitana de Transportes do Porto, collectively the largest metropolitan transport authorities in the region. These bodies coordinate through the European Metropolitan Transport Authorities (EMTA), a network advancing shared policy goals at the European level.
Discussions focused on synchronising demand for electric buses with European manufacturing capacity, covering the entire electrification chain including charging infrastructure, energy supply, vehicle procurement, and lifecycle maintenance. The aim is to ensure resilient, sustainable public transport networks amid rising ridership and ambitious decarbonisation targets.
We must align our operational needs with industrial capabilities to deliver reliable, zero-emission public transport at scale.
Participants also exchanged best practices on common challenges, including multimodal integration, unified ticketing systems, and strengthening the governance role of metropolitan transport authorities in EU policy-making. Financial mechanisms to support large-scale rolling stock renewal were discussed, with a shared interest in securing European funding for sustainable transit projects.
The alliance reaffirmed its commitment to regular meetings and joint advocacy within EMTA, aiming to produce shared policy documents that could benefit other European metropolitan regions. The cooperation underscores a growing push for coordinated action on urban mobility resilience, climate goals, and technological innovation across major Iberian cities.
Further collaboration is expected in the lead-up to upcoming EMTA and Smart City Expo events, as these authorities work to shape a common voice in European transport planning.
Sources: ATM Barcelona - Press Releases, atm.cat, eiturbanmobility.eu.
