Europe's Rail Joint Undertaking has launched its Call for Proposals 2025-02, offering €148.2 million in EU funding for projects with a total expected value of €245 million. The call represents a major step forward in advancing rail research and innovation, supporting the implementation of the Europe's Rail Amended Work Programme 2025-2026. This significant investment aligns with the European Green Deal and the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, demonstrating the EU's continued commitment to making rail the backbone of sustainable European transport.

As Europe accelerates its transition towards climate neutrality by 2050, rail transport plays a pivotal role as the cleanest and most efficient mode of mass transport. Europe's Rail, established under the Horizon Europe programme as the successor to Shift2Rail, brings together the research community, small and medium-sized enterprises, operators, infrastructure managers, and suppliers to make rail the everyday mobility choice for passengers and freight across Europe.

• The call encompasses five strategic areas: European rail network management, automation and digitalisation of rail operations, sustainable and resilient systems, rail freight in the supply chain perspective, and regional and capillary lines, representing the second wave of Flagship Projects building upon previous achievements.
• Projects funded under this call will advance innovations from lower Technology Readiness Levels towards deployment-ready solutions, paving the way for operational and technological breakthroughs that will be implemented across European rail networks in the coming years.
• The call introduces innovative approaches, including studies on rail industry 5.0, innovation in climate finance for rail, and continued support for knowledge creation through PhD programmes, ensuring the development of new talent alongside technological advancement.

This call represents a decisive step towards realising a fully integrated Single European Rail Area. By taking innovations from laboratory to track, Europe's Rail accelerates the deployment of digital, sustainable, and reliable solutions that will transform both passenger and freight services. The Flagship Projects supported through this call address fundamental challenges facing European rail today, from interoperability and automation to sustainability and regional connectivity.

Projects will contribute directly to achieving the EU's goal of reducing transport emissions by 90% by 2050, whilst strengthening Europe's industrial competitiveness and technological sovereignty in rail systems. The call's systemic approach, guided by the System Pillar framework, promotes harmonisation towards a truly integrated European rail system that delivers seamless, efficient, and sustainable mobility for all Europeans.

Source: https://rail-research.europa.eu/latest-news/press-release-europes-rail-launches-e245-million-worth-call-for-new-ri-proposals-to-accelerate-rail-innovation/