CENTRAL LOCO - Central European Network for Logistics Competence
Overview
Background & policy context:
Enterprises and research units operating in logistics and transport sector are insufficiently experienced both in knowledge transfer from leading institutions in the EU and in coordinating the cooperation between the research and industry. This is particularly true regarding the issue of safe, secure and efficient intermodal transport where such transfer and co-operation are urgently needed.
The CENTRAL LOCO developed a network for disseminating and exploiting results of RTD projects relevant to the logistics and transport sector, and harmonised activities in the CEECs area and help companies from those countries to implement the recommendations and to support the aims outlined in WHITE PAPER 'European transport policy for 2010: time to decide' concerning re-balancing and integrating different transport modes.
Objectives:
The aim of the CENTRAL LOCO project was to promote dissemination and exploitation of results of RTD projects of the 5th and 6th Framework Programmes among the enterprises and research units operating in logistics and transport sector. These organisations were insufficiently experienced both in knowledge transfer from leading institutions in the EU and in coordinating the cooperation between the research and industry. This was particularly true regarding the issue of safe, secure and efficient intermodal transport where such transfer and co-operation were urgently needed. The project's areas of influence were four Central-European New Member States known as the Vysehrad Four: Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.
The main objective of the CENTRAL LOCO project was to create a set of networking and knowledge transfer activities, including one conference, two practical workshops, web pages, and newsletters targeted at companies, research and business support organisations. Apart from the main objective the project consortium defined the specific goals which were as follows:
- identification of EU RTD projects in the field of logistics and intermodal transport,
- dissemination of the results of European research projects,
- presentation of best practice solutions in different fields of logistics (i.e.: ECR, SCM, Reverse logistics, outsourcing, CRM, CPF, Reengineering, intermodal transport, e-logistics, etc.),
- promotion of exploitation of the successful RTD project results,
- availability of current recommendations of European transport policy concerning re-balancing and integrating different transport modes,
- exchange of practical knowledge of logistics and transport issues among a wide group of stakeholders,
- harmonisation of national initiatives in connection with ERA-NET,
- creation of opportunities for new projects among members of research and business communities,
- invitation of large numbers of companies to participate in Framework Programmes during organised events,
- help with developing safe, secure and efficient intermodal transport according to the recommendations outlined in EU transport policy, provision of the access to conference and workshop materials both in English and national languages,
- communication of progress of the winning Projects of the FP6-Transport calls.
Methodology:
CENTRAL LOCO provided one conference and three practical workshops in four different countries of the region. The events addressed the aspects of the logistics and intermodal transport problems that are most relevant to the Partner countries.
Web pages concerning the issues touched during the conference and three workshops in four Central-European Countries were created supporting the implementation of integrated different transport modes. The web pages provided access to all relevant materials both in English and in national languages.
Regular newsletters in English and in national languages were issued and emailed to all interested companies, business support organisations, researchers and public institutions operating in the logistics sector. After each year of CENTRAL LOCO duration, collected newsletters also were issued and emailed.
The attention was devoted to collaboration with the winning Projects of the FP6-Transport calls, whose progress would be communicated to the research communities and logistics and transport industries of Central-European countries in their national languages
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