ABOUT

ECOMM (European Conference on Mobility Management) is a global event, the true meeting place for everyone involved in mobility management and every year attracts between 300 and 400 people to the city which hosts it. Throughout its 22 editions it has been placed in numerous countries and cities in Europe. Cascais, due to its pioneering and interest in this matter, was the place chosen to host the most recent edition of ECOMM.

The creation of ECOMM goes back to the year of 1997, in Amsterdam, as the final conference of the MOMENTUM research project. It took place again in the following year in Nottingham, with the newly formed International Programme Committee (IPC) in charge of its organization.

Aiming to pursue this project, several member states from the European Union united, in 1999, to form the European Project known as EPOMM – European Platform on Mobility Management, a network of governments in European countries which are involved in Mobility Management. This project was then turned into a non-profit international organization in 2003, with the organization of ECOMM as one of its main tasks every year.

Since then ECOMM has been a meeting point for politicians, engineers and scientists, as well as everyone who practices and is involved with mobility. This three-day event offers a diverse and relevant number of experiences, like excursions, keynote speeches, presentations and workshops and even an exhibition.

The last edition of ECOMM was initially meant to happen in Cascais in 2020, but had to be cancelled due to the pandemic of COVID-19. However, a unique event took place Online: ECOMM 2020 ONLINE! In a total of 7 debates, several authors of the submitted papers got together to discuss the most pressing themes regarding mobility and with an additional focus on mobility in light of the pandemic of Covid-19. You can find everything about this event on its official website.

The municipality of Cascais has a privileged location, including in a unique way the blue of the Atlantic Ocean and the green of Serra de Sintra. Its maritime coast with 30 km alternates between wild and urban beaches, while the magnificent landscapes of Serra de Sintra work as true postcards. Culturally active, the municipality of Cascais offers countless cultural events, including music, gastronomy or sports, encouraging interaction not only within the municipals but also the visitors of Cascais.

The town of Cascais has had a strong relationship with the sea throughout its History and it has always been a place of passage, a safe harbour for travellers and a departure and arriving point for Portuguese boats that went away during the Age of Exploration. It also has always been a fishing area that quickly became one of the biggest suppliers of fish of the capital, Lisbon. The fishing activity was so important to Cascais that it was even registered on its coat of arms, through a silver and green wave, representing the sea, covered by a golden net, representing the fishing activity.

As years went by, steamships were introduced and merchant navy appeared, Cascais also became a centre of tourism and nautical sports. Nowadays, professional fishing on the Cascais coastline is an artisanal activity focused on the most commercial species, such as octopus, sea bass, some crustaceans and sardines. Thus, the village of Cascais maintains a fishing activity based on ancestral roots, which brings the highest quality fish and seafood to the village’s restaurants, daily.

Walking through the streets of Cascais is traveling to the past, to the second half of the 20th century, a time of Kings and spies; is remembering the visitors, the exiles and refugees that sought shelter in Cascais; is getting to know such an important player in the Portuguese fishing activity. Walking through the streets of Cascais is walking through History.