VERA – Forward Visions on the European Research Area

VERA is funded by the European Union's FP7 programme for research,
technological development and demonstration under grant agreement no 290705

Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area – Towards a competitive and resource efficient transport system

Code: A08

Primary project information

Lead: European Commission
Additional project partners: European Insitutions, Member States and stakeholders
Type of activity: White paper
Date conducted: 2011
Date of Publication: 28.03.2011
Duration: N/A
Summary: The Transport 2050 roadmap to a Single European Transport Area sets out to remove major barriers and bottlenecks in many key areas across the fields of: transport infrastructure and investment, innovation and the internal market. The aim is to create a Single European Transport Area with more competition and a fully integrated transport network which links the different modes and allows for a profound shift in transport patterns for passengers and freight. To this purpose, the roadmap puts forward 40 concrete initiatives for the next decade.
Financed by: EU
Budget: N/A
Research area/market/industry/sector: Transport
Main report (full title): WHITE PAPER Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area – Towards a competitive and resource efficient transport system - COM(2011) 144 final

GRAND CHALLENGES

Economic Challenges: improving the efficiency of aircraft and traffic management operations, optimising the performance f multimodal logistic chains [9], growing competition in fast developing world transport markets, increasing the efficiency of transport and of infrastructure use with information systems and market-based incentives], optimising the performance of multimodal logistic chains, using transport and infrastructure more efficiently [6]
Economic Challenges Shortlist: improve efficiency of aircraft and traffic management operations; optimising performation of multimodal logistic chains; apply information systems and market-based incentives to increase efficiency of transport and infrastructure; more efficient use of transport and infrastructure
Societal Challenges: transport security, efficient public transport services, urban security issues
Societal Challenges Shortlist: transport security; efficient pubilc transport services; urban security issues in transport
Technical Challenges: technologies to improve transport security and safety [24], large scale intelligent and interoperable technologies to optimise the capacity and the use of infrastructure, smaller, lighter and more specialised road passenger vehicles [8], intelligent transport systems, new generation vehicles and alternative energy/propulsion systems, more resource-efficient vehicles [6], improve truck efficiency [7]
Technical Challenges Shortlist: optimise capacity and use of transport infrastructure by using large scale intelligent and interoperable technologies; intelligent transport systems; new generation verhicles and alternative energy/propulstion system; improve resource-efficiency of vehicles; Improve truck efficiency
Mobility Challenges: growing transport and supporting mobility [5], long-distance travel, freight [7], multimodal intercity travel and transport [6]
Mobility Challenges Shortlist: increasing transport and mobility; long-distance travel; multimodal intercity travel and transport
Cross-cutting Challenges: break the transport system’s dependence on oil without sacrificing its efficiency and compromising mobility [5], vehicles’ efficiency through new engines, materials and design; cleaner energy use through new fuels and propulsion systems; better use of network and safer and more secure operations through information and communication systems [12]
Cross-cutting Challenges Shortlist: break the transport system’s dependence on oil without sacrificing its efficiency and compromising mobility; vehicles’ efficiency through new engines, materials and design; cleaner energy use through new fuels and propulsion systems; better use of network and safer and more secure operations through information and communication systems
Other Challenges: intelligent infrastructure, real-time traffic management, upgrade the capacity of the rail network [7]
Other Challenges Shortlist: intelligent infrastrucutre; real-time traffic management; upgrade capacity of rail network

Summary of relevant aspects

Connecting fields: Transport research and innovation policy should increasingly support in a coherent way the development and deployment of the key technologies needed to develop the EU transport system into a modern, efficient and user-friendly system [12].
Aspects of ERA Governance: Rail safety: Enhance the role of ERA in the field of rail safety, in particular its supervision on national safety measures taken by National Safety Authorities and their progressive harmonization [23].
Aspects of RTI Governance: -
Other Aspects of Governance: Urban Mobility Plan: Link regional development and cohesion funds to cities and regions that have submitted a current, and independently validated Urban Mobility Performance and Sustainability Audit certificate [26].
Surprising Issues: -
Background information: Transport is fundamentally international. Because of this, most actions in the Road Map are linked to challenges related to the development of transport beyond the EU borders.

Scenarios

Actions/solutions implied: Most relevant: create a genuine Single European Transport Area by eliminating all residual barriers between modes and national systems, easing the process of integration and facilitating the emergence of multinational and multimodal operators [10] / encourage research, innovation and deployment in an integrated way through focusing on the most promising technologies and bringing together all actors involved / create a true internal market for rail services / achieve a seamless single European Sky / revise the Slot Regulation to favour more efficient use of airport capacity [18] / develop an approach to deal with future capacity problems including better integration with the railway network / establish a suitable framework for inland navigation [19] / create the appropriate framework to allow tracing goods in real time, ensure intermodal liability and promote clean freight transport [19] / a Social Agenda for maritime transport / establish a mechanism to analyse the impact of regulatory developments on working conditions in the air transport sector / implement the Action Plan on Strengthening Air Cargo Security [21] / complete an EU-wide one-stop security system for air cargo / define common detection performance standards and certifications procedures for detection equipment / harmonise and deploy road safety technology [21] / develop a comprehensive European aviation safety strategy, building on the work of the European Aviation Safety Agency / modernise passenger ship safety legislation [22] / Streamline the rules for the intermodal transport of dangerous goods to ensure interoperability between the different modes [23] / develop a uniform interpretation of EU Law on passenger rights and a harmonised and effective enforcement, to ensure both a level playing field for the industry and a European standard of protection for the citizens [23] / define the measures necessary for further integrating different passenger transport modes to provide seamless multimodal door-to-door travel [23] / create a technology roadmap and innovation and deployment strategy / identify the necessary regulatory framework conditions through standardisation or regulation / promoting more sustainable behavior / define a strategy for moving towards ‘zero-emission urban logistics’ 2030 [27] / define in new TEN-guidelines a core network of strategic European infrastructure / ensure that EU-funded transport infrastructure takes into account energy efficiency needs and climate change challenges [27] / ensure that EU-funded transport infrastructure takes into account energy efficiency needs and climate change challenges / getting prices right and avoiding distortions [29]

Meta information

Time horizon: 2050: The European Commission adopted a comprehensive strategy for a competitive transport system that will increase mobility, remove major barriers in key areas and fuel growth and employment. At the same time, the proposals will dramatically reduce Europe's dependence on imported oil and cut carbon emissions in transport by 60% by 2050.
Methods: N/A
Target Group: Member States, European industry
Objectives: The issues and challenges connected to transport in Europe require action at European level; no single national government can address them successfully alone. By working in concert, European Union Member States and European industry aims to ensure European transport infrastructure meet the needs of citizens and our economy, whilst minimising damage to our environment. Research and technology can provide the solutions for more efficient and sustainable transport in the future. Intelligent transport systems, new generation vehicles and alternative energy/propulsion systems are just some of the solutions on offer to make travel greener and more efficient.
Countries covered: EU
Geographic scope:

Entry Details

Rapporteur: Claudia Steindl
Rapporteur's organization: AIT
Entry Date: May 2012