Overview
The Transport Challenge ‘Smart, green and integrated transport’ is aimed at achieving a European transport system that is resilient, resource-efficient, climate- and environmentally-friendly, safe and seamless for the benefit of all citizens, the economy and society. Funding priorities will be geared towards the present and future needs of citizens, businesses and EU markets, and strive to maximise value for the transport sector, the wider economy and ultimately, the people. These priorities are aimed at creating new opportunities for sustainable growth and employment.
The specific programme is structured in four broad lines of activities aiming at:
- Resource efficient transport that respects the environment. The aim is to minimise transport systems' impact on climate and the environment (including noise and air pollution) by improving its efficiency in the use of natural resources, and by reducing its dependence on fossil fuels and energy imports.
- Better mobility, less congestion, more safety and security. The aim is to reconcile the growing mobility needs with improved transport fluidity, through innovative solutions for seamless, inclusive, affordable, safe, secure and robust transport systems that make full use of modern ICT capabilities.
- Global leadership for the European transport industry. The aim is to reinforce the competitiveness and performance of European transport manufacturing industries and related services on global markets including logistic processes and retain areas of European leadership (e.g. such as aeronautics).
- Socio-economic and behavioural research and forward looking activities for policy making. The aim is to support improved policy-making which is necessary to promote innovation and meet the challenges raised by transport, including the internalisation of external costs, and the societal needs related to it. Socio-economic research is also an important instrument for reaching the objectives under this programme.
Funding opportunities under Horizon 2020 are set out in multiannual work programmes, which cover the large majority of support available. The work programmes are prepared by the European Commission within the framework provided by the Horizon 2020 legislation and through a strategic programming process integrating EU policy objectives in the priority setting.
The preparation of work programmes involves the consultation of stakeholders. For this purpose 19 Horizon 2020 Advisory Groups have been set up as consultative bodies representing the broad constituency of stakeholders ranging from industry and research to representatives of civil society. Additional open and targeted consultation activities aim to obtain further views and contributions, including from the Enterprise Policy Group, European Innovation Partnerships and European Technology Platforms.
Particular attention will be paid in the upcoming Work Programme (2016-17) to the following major transport research challenges:
- Improving energy/resource efficiency including through innovative powertrains and propulsion systems, reducing transport’s dependence on fossil fuels and scarce resources, take-up of alternative fuels, and achieving the required level of mitigation of climate change, pollution, noise and adverse health effects in the transport sector.
- Supporting the development of automation in road transport, in view of optimising its contribution to the ambitious EU policy goals in terms of road safety, reduced congestion, energy efficiency and air quality as well as ensuring the leading role of European industry in the global market to boost sustainable growth and create jobs.
- Paving the way for the deployment of innovative mobility solutions, including through the use of ICT and satellite navigation technologies, for example in connected and automated vehicles, personalised/smart services, overcoming fragmentation through the bundling of existing services via open interfaces, and optimising the role of data and connectivity (e.g. internet of things) as driving factors.
- Modernising infrastructure for Europe-wide mobility demands and for reducing social and territorial inequalities in access to mobility, introducing new materials and processes, smart transport systems and new charging and refuelling options, and making infrastructure more safe, adaptable, resilient and responsive to evolving weather conditions and disruptive events.
- Assessing the impacts and cost-effectiveness of new solutions to address the mobility challenges in urban areas, exploring new opportunities to support take-up of innovative solutions, including through procurement.
- Optimising the use of the infrastructure and redistributing passenger and freight traffic between transport modes, as a way to mitigate environmental problems and ease traffic congestion, also by providing more efficient and sustainable transport solutions.
- Optimising the efficiency and interoperability of transport systems and operations through new approaches to target setting and performance review.
- Making quantum improvements in safety levels across the transport system, reducing the associated costs for the users, the providers and the public sector.
- Anticipating technological developments that have the potential to be transformational, both internal to transport and in other activities that are likely to impact on transport and the competitiveness of the European transport industry, while promoting the use of common standards and procedures across transport modes.
- Understanding and managing the impact of demographic trends recognising and supporting new societal developments.
- Assessing future requirements for skills and jobs across transport sectors and systems.
Funding
Minimum eligibility requirements depend on the type of action being undertaken as follows:
- Research and Innovation Action (RIA) - Minimum of three legal entities, each established in a different Member State or associated country and all independent of each other.
- Innovation Action (IA) - Minimum of three legal entities, each established in a different Member State or associated country and all independent of each other.
- Coordination and Support Action (CSA) - Minimum of one legal entity established in a Member State or associated country.
- SME instrument - One for-profit SME established in an EU Member State or country associated to Horizon 2020.
- ERA-NET Cofund - Minimum of three legal entities, each established in a different Member State or associated country and all independent of each other. Participants must be research funders: legal entities owning or managing public research and innovation programmes.
- Pre-commercial Procurement (PCP) - Minimum of three legal entities, each established in a different Member State or associated country and all independent of each other.
- Cofund and Public Procurement of Innovative Solutions (PPI) Cofund - Minimum of two independent legal entities which are public procurers from two different Member States or associated countries.