Workshop Wrap-Up | Which levers do cities have for e-commerce & urban logistics?

On 19 June, from 09:00 to 11:30, CodeZERO held its first online stakeholder engagement workshop, focusing on the levers local authorities can use to support the development of sustainable delivery models. 

The workshop addressed two key areas that emerged from the co-creation workshops conducted in the four CodeZERO pilot cities: Antwerp, Milan, Oslo, and Utrecht. These areas were: 

• Planning and regulation 

• Active engagement of citizens and consumers in urban logistics policies 

To kick off the discussion on planning tools and their role in achieving sustainability goals in urban logistics, participants were introduced to the 15-minute city concept, including how this planning approach integrates logistics considerations. 

Catherine Gall, from the Chaire Entrepreneuriat - Territoire – Innovation at Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne University, presented the LowGistics project—an ongoing four-year initiative exploring the impact of emerging “x-minute city models” on urban logistics. One of the project's key outcomes will be the creation of an urban logistics participatory toolbox. 

During the discussion, it became clear that cities across Europe share several common challenges in integrating sustainable urban logistics into planning tools. These include a lack of political will, fragmented responsibilities, limited staffing, and poor coordination between departments, as seen in cities like Ghent, Rome, and Hamburg. While some cities, such as Ghent and Antwerp, are advancing comprehensive strategies, others are still debating whether to adopt standalone Sustainable Urban Logistics Plans (SULPs) or integrate logistics into broader urban planning efforts. 

Key challenges identified: 

• Misalignment between transport and urban planning 

• Limited data sharing and unclear logistics needs 

• Difficulty engaging property developers 

• Logistics space often undervalued and expensive 

• Legal limitations on low-emission zones (e.g., Oslo, Bremen) 

Opportunities highlighted: 

• Tailoring planning tools to neighborhood-specific logistics needs 

• Supporting local efforts through national or regional frameworks 

• Including logistics in building regulations and standards 

• Strengthening internal coordination and early stakeholder involvement 

• Leveraging data to forecast logistics needs at the neighborhood level 

The second major focus of the workshop was engagement with consumers and citizens on urban logistics. 

Few cities have yet undertaken active engagement in this area. Common challenges were noted: 

• Bremen discussed the difficulty of balancing the "triangle" of sustainability (social, environmental, economic) and how co-benefits or incentives often fail to reach cost-sensitive citizens. 

• Oslo raised concerns about general apathy, with engagement typically limited to already motivated citizens, making it hard to get a full picture of public sentiment. 

On the positive side: 

• Milan, through CodeZERO, conducted its first citizen-focused co-creation activities. 

• Ghent involved residents in market research for low-emission zones and used social media to engage SMEs and transporters, alongside testing a zero-emission freight fleet. 

• Utrecht engaged directly with residents on the street regarding upcoming access policies, such as delivery time restrictions before 10:00 a.m., and collected valuable feedback from locals. 

Alicia Puig, from Democratic Society and the NetZeroCities project, shared insights on effective strategies for communicating climate policies to citizens. These served as a basis for reflecting on how similar approaches could be adapted for urban logistics engagement. 

Suggestions for improving citizen engagement included: 

• Making the co-benefits of urban logistics policies more tangible 

• Clearly defining which actors communicate what information (e.g., Oslo) 

• Using symbolic actions (e.g., “One day without urban logistics” – Oslo, Bremen) 

• Connecting urban logistics to broader, visible benefits 

• Communicating policy goals and outcomes clearly 

• Addressing data gaps around van traffic and online shopping behavior 

Stay tuned! The first version of the CodeZERO toolset for local authorities will be published in September 2025. 

Click here to download the slideshows presented during the workshop.