Background Four out of five EU citizens live in urban areas and their quality of life is directly linked to their urban environment. In the last 10 years, European cities have made major efforts to tackle traffic congestion and related pollution. However, little attention has been paid to the goods distribution process, which is one of the major sources of pollution in urban areas. At the same time, the attractiveness of cities also depends on the richness of the economic exchanges taking place in the city. It is thus important to maintain trade whilst taking account of environmental considerations in order “to make Europe a more attractive place to invest and work”, as stated in the Lisbon Treaty. Objectives The goal of the LIFE+ Urbannecy project is to demonstrate an integrated and innovative approach to urban logistics, encouraging cooperation amongst the actors involved, use of new distribution schemes and the implementation of a range of measures (regulatory, organisational, operational and technological) that will effectively contribute to the reduction of the negative effects of the current logistics processes on the urban environment. The project aims to develop a new logistic tool, Urban Distribution Centre (CDU) to reduce the environmental impact of parcel deliveries (greenhouse gas and particulate matter emissions) and improve the quality of life (reduction of traffic and noise) in Annecy city centre. The project will test the applicability of the CDU as a sustainable and economically-viable 'last mile' delivery service. This integrated and innovative approach is strongly oriented towards cooperation amongst the actors involved in the logistics chain, the use of new distribution schemes and the implementation of regulatory, organisational, operational and technological measures. Specific aims include: Improving the flow of goods in Annecy city centre through an efficient, competitive and durable urban distribution scheme; Reducing traffic congestion by decreasing the number of vehicles in circulation; Proposing new and efficient services to retailers and a better quality of service to carriers that lose time when delivering goods in a crowded city centre; and Improving the quality of life of citizens by reducing the environmental impacts of freight transport. These aims will be achieved through technological developments, such as the adaptation of electric lorries of high load capacity to deliver goods from different transport operators to the city centre; and the use of innovative electrical bicycles to improve delivery to the least accessible areas. Expected results: The main expected result is the creation of a logistic platform on the outskirts of Annecy. Other expected results concern the supply chain in the city centre, environmental aspects and the improvement of quality of life. Actions mentioned above will result in: A 15% reduction in congestion caused by commercial and freight traffic. This will also increase pedestrian safety; A reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in Annecy. Given the characteristics of the city and its commercial configuration, a 40% reduction in the number of lorries is possible, which could result in CO2 reductions of some 27%; A 30% reduction in noise related to traffic, thus improving the quality of life in the historical city centre for residents, visitors and tourists. This will also reduce the risk of damage to historic buildings caused by vibrations resulting from freight traffic; Time savings resulting from the optimisation of routes and fewer lorries on the roads; and New jobs created as a result of innovative activities.