Open Parking Europe (OPE) was launched in 2020 to promote a more open, efficient and green European parking market while facilitating increased collaboration. We believe European citizens should have easy, pan-European access to price comparisons, parking availability, EV-charging and mobile parking payments. In doing so, this underpins the fundamental objectives of the EU internal market and the EU’s overall ambition and political direction. It also follows the lead of many similar initiatives in other sectors in recent years.

Prime examples would be the price comparison sites which integrate and aggregate products and services in Europe, as well as the Revised Payment Services (PSD2) legislation in the Banking industry. This works for the benefit of customers and European citizens.

Against this background, the European parking industry is lagging behind. There are initiatives such as the European Parking Association and the Alliance for Parking Data Standards. Yet these are primarily formed and managed by traditional parking industry actors. The organisations have little motivation to innovate and revolutionize in order to facilitate a truly free EU parking market which will open up the possibility for new and creative solutions.

Through the Open Parking Europe initiative we aim to raise public and political awareness of the possibilities that an open parking market will bring. This will help the environment, facilitate mobility and benefit European citizens.