ECTRI, representing 29 research institutes and universities from 20 European countries, has consistently advocated for integrated multimodal low-carbon transport systems and sustained investment in basic transport research. Our past position papers have emphasized the importance of overcoming modal silos and balancing disruptive innovation with long-term goals.
Horizon Europe: What We Appreciate: We welcome the mainstreaming of climate challenges in transport research under Horizon Europe. However, there are concerns about potential budget battles between sectors and the need for better integration across research topics.
Why FP10 Should Evolve: The shift towards high-TRL projects risks neglecting basic low-TRL research essential for long-term innovation. The growing number of coordinating structures in transport research needs streamlining to enhance efficiency and transparency.
The Relevance of a European Focus on Transport Systems: A systemic perspective remains crucial for achieving decarbonization goals. Revitalizing collaborative multimodal transport research is essential for addressing practical challenges and updating the European multimodal vision.
ECTRI’s Recommendations:
- Simplify coordination and streamline the current landscape of partnerships.
- Ambitiously assess current partnerships’ performance and encourage best practices.
- Establish common rules for partnership governance, management, and funding.
- Increase openness and broader participation in partnerships.
- Clearly differentiate between research and implementation activities.
- Revitalize collaborative transport research with a focus on multimodality.
- Strengthen funding for collaborative research and ensure strategic resource distribution.
- Improve communication between transport policy and research.
- Encourage strategic cooperation between the research community and industry.
- Adapt lump sum funding and streamline the two-stage proposal process for collaborative transport research under FP10.
For detailed recommendations and insights, read the full position paper.