4. SMART, GREEN AND INTEGRATED TRANSPORT

Europe has set a policy target of achieving a 60 % reduction of CO_(2) by 2050 compared to 1990 levels. It aims at halving the use of 'conventionally-fuelled' cars in cities and achieving virtually CO_(2)-free city logistics in major urban centres by 2030. Low-carbon fuels in aviation should reach 40 % by 2050, and CO_(2) emissions from maritime bunker fuels should be reduced by 40 % by 2050 Commission White Paper on "Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area – Towards a competitive and resource efficient transport system" (COM(2011) 144 final). compared to 2005 levels. It is essential to reduce this environmental impact through targeted technological improvement, bearing in mind that each mode of transport faces varying challenges and is characterised by specific technology integration cycles. Research and innovation will substantially contribute to the development and take up of the necessary solutions for all transport modes, which will drastically reduce transport emissions that are harmful to the environment (such as CO_(2), NO_(x), SO_(x) and noise), lower the dependence of transport on fossil fuels, and hence reduce transport impact on biodiversity and climate change and preserve natural resources. This will be done through work on the following specific activities: The activities in this domain will focus on the end products, but will also address lean and ecological design and manufacturing processes, considering the entire life cycle process and with recyclability integrated in the design phase. Activities will also cover the upgrading of existing products and services by integration of new technologies. Developing and accelerating the take-up of cleaner and quieter propulsion technologies is important for reducing or eliminating impacts on climate and health of European citizens, e.g. CO_(2), noise and pollution from transport. New and innovative solutions are necessary, based on electric engines and batteries, hydrogen and fuel cells, gas-powered engines, advanced architectures and technologies in engines or hybrid propulsion. Technological breakthroughs will also help improve the environmental performance of traditional and new propulsion systems. Exploring options for the use of low emission alternative energies will help reduce the consumption of fossil fuels. This includes using sustainable fuels and electricity from renewable energy sources in all modes of transport including aviation, reducing fuel consumption through energy harvesting or diversified energy supply and other innovative solutions. New holistic approaches will be pursued encompassing vehicles, energy storage, energy supply, fuelling and charging infrastructure, including vehicle-to-grid interfaces and innovative solutions for the use of alternative fuels. Improving the overall performance of aircraft, vessels and vehicles by reducing their weight and lowering their aerodynamic hydrodynamic or rolling resistance by using lighter materials, leaner structures and innovative design will contribute to lower fuel consumption. This will help optimise transport operations and reduce resource consumption. The focus will be on solutions for the efficient planning, design, use and management of airports, ports, logistic platforms and surface transport infrastructures, as well as on autonomous and efficient maintenance, monitoring and inspection systems. New policies, business models, concepts, technologies and IT solutions are to be adopted to increase capacity. Particular attention will be given to the climate resilience of equipment and infrastructures, cost-efficient solutions based on a life-cycle approach, and the wider take-up of new materials and technologies allowing for more efficient and lower cost maintenance. Attention will also be paid to accessibility, user friendliness and social inclusiveness. This will benefit a large and increasing share of the population which lives and works in cities or uses them for services and leisure. New mobility concepts, transport organisation, multimodal accessibility models, logistics, provision of innovative vehicles and urban public services and planning solutions need to be developed and tested, which will contribute to reduce congestion, air pollution and noise and improve the efficiency of urban transport. Public and non-motorised transport as well as other resource-efficient transport options for passengers and freight should be developed as a real alternative to the use of private motor vehicles, supported by greater use of intelligent transport systems as well as by innovative supply and demand management. Special emphasis shall be given to the interaction between the transport system and other urban systems. Relevant European transport policy goals aim to optimise performance and efficiency in the face of growing demands for mobility, to make Europe the safest region for aviation, railways and waterborne transport and to move towards the target of zero fatalities in road transport by 2050 and of halving the road casualties by 2020. By 2030,30 % of road freight transport over 300 kilometres should shift to rail and waterborne transport. A seamless, accessible, affordable, user-oriented and efficient pan-European transport of people and goods, also internalising external costs, requires a new European multimodal transport management, information and payment system, as well as efficient interfaces between long distance and urban mobility networks. A better European transport system will contribute to a more efficient use of transport, improve the quality of life of citizens and support a healthier environment. Research and innovation will make important contributions to these ambitious policy goals through activities in the following specific activities: This can be achieved by implementing an intelligent, multi-modal and fully intermodal 'door-to-door' transport system and by avoiding unnecessary use of transport. This means promoting greater integration between transport modes, the optimisation of transportation chains and better integrated transport operations and services. Such innovative solutions will also facilitate accessibility and passenger choices, including for the ageing population and vulnerable users, and provide opportunities to reduce congestion by improving incident management and the development of traffic optimisation schemes. This can be achieved through the development, demonstration and widespread use of intelligent transport applications and management systems. This entails planning demand analysis and management, information and payment systems that are interoperable Europe-wide, and the full integration of information flows, management systems, infrastructure networks and mobility services into a new common multi-modal framework based on open platforms. This will also ensure flexibility and rapid responses to crisis events and extreme weather conditions by reconfiguring travel and haulage across modes. New positioning, navigation and timing applications, made possible through the Galileo and the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) satellite navigation systems, will be instrumental in achieving this objective. Innovative air traffic management technologies will contribute to a step-change in safety and efficiency with rapidly increasing demand, to achieve improved punctuality, to reduce time spent in travel-related procedures at airports and to achieve resilience in the air transport system. The implementation and further development of the 'Single European Sky' will be supported with research and innovation activities providing solutions for increased automation and autonomy in air traffic management and aircraft operation and control, better integration of air and ground components, and novel solutions for the efficient and seamless handling of passengers and freight throughout the transport system. For waterborne transport, improved and integrated planning and management technologies will contribute to the emergence of a 'Blue Belt' in the seas around Europe, improving port operations, and to a suitable framework for inland waterways. For rail and road, the optimisation of network management and interoperability will improve the efficient use of infrastructure and make cross-border operations easier. Comprehensive cooperative road traffic management and information systems will be developed, relying on vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication. This can reduce pressure on the transport system and the environment and improve safety and freight capacity. The activities can, for example, combine high performance and low environmental impact vehicles with smart, secure on-board and infrastructure-based systems. This should be based on an integrated logistics approach in the field of transport. Activities will also support the development of the e-Freight vision of a paperless freight transport process, where electronic information flows, services and payments are linked to physical freight flows across transport modes. This will be achieved by addressing aspects inherent to the organisation, management and monitoring of performance and risk of transport systems and by focusing on the design, manufacturing and operations of aircraft, vehicles, vessels, infrastructures and terminals. The focus will be on passive and active safety, preventive safety and enhanced automation and training processes to reduce the risk and impact of human errors. To better anticipate, assess and mitigate the impact of weather, natural hazards and other crisis situations, special tools and techniques will be devised. Activities will also focus on the integration of security aspects in the planning and management of passenger and freight flows, on the conception of aircraft, vehicles and vessels, on traffic and system management and on the design of transport infrastructures and of freight and passenger terminals. Intelligent transport and connectivity applications may also provide useful tools for enhanced security. Activities will also focus on improving the safety of all road users, especially those at greatest risk, particularly in urban areas. By staying ahead in technological development and improving the competitiveness of existing manufacturing processes, research and innovation will contribute to growth and highly skilled jobs in the European transport industry, in the face of growing competition. At stake is the further development of the competitiveness of a major economic sector that directly represents 6,3 % of the Union gross domestic product (GDP) and employs nearly 13 million people in Europe. Specific objectives include the development of the next generation of innovative and environmentally friendly air, waterborne and land transport means, ensuring sustainable manufacturing of innovative systems and equipment and preparing the ground for future transport means, by working on novel technologies, concepts and designs, smart control systems, efficient development and production processes, innovative services and certification procedures. Europe aims at becoming the world leader in efficiency, environmental performance and safety in all modes of transport and at enhancing its leadership in global markets both for end-products as well as for subsystems. Research and innovation will focus on the following specific activities: It will help enhance European leadership in aircraft, high speed trains, conventional and (sub)urban rail transport, road vehicles, electromobility, passenger cruise ships, ferries and specialised high technology ships and maritime platforms. It will also spur the competitiveness of European industries in upcoming technologies and systems and support their diversification towards new markets, including in sectors other than transport. This includes the development of innovative safe and environmentally friendly aircraft, vehicles and vessels that incorporate efficient propulsion systems, high performance and intelligent operation and control systems. These are needed to realise higher levels of performance and system integration in transport. Appropriate interfaces for communications between aircraft, vehicles, vessels and infrastructures in all relevant combinations will be developed, taking into account impacts of electromagnetic fields, with a view to defining common operational standards. They may include delivering traffic management and user information direct to in-vehicle devices, supported by reliable real-time traffic data on road conditions and congestion from the same devices. These will allow customisation, lower lifecycle cost and development time and facilitate the standardisation and certification of aircraft, vehicles and vessels as well as their components, equipment and related infrastructure. Activities in this area will develop fast and cost-efficient design and manufacturing techniques, including assembly, construction, maintenance and recycling, through digital tools and automation, and capacity to integrate complex systems. This will foster competitive supply chains able to deliver with short time to market and reduced costs without compromising operational safety and security. Transport applications of innovative materials are also a priority both for environmental and competitiveness goals as well as for increased safety and security. This will help enhance Europe's competitive edge in the longer term perspective. Strategic multidisciplinary research and proof-of-concept activities shall address innovative transport systems solutions. This will include fully automated and other new types of aircraft, vehicles and vessels with long term potential and high environmental performance as well as new services. Actions to support policy analysis and development including gathering evidence to understand behaviour on spatial, socio-economic and wider societal aspects of transport are necessary to promote innovation and create a shared evidence base to meet the challenges raised by transport. Activities will target the development and implementation of European research and innovation policies for transport and mobility, prospective studies and technology foresight, and strengthening of the ERA. Understanding local and regional specificities, user behaviour and perceptions, social acceptance, impact of policy measures, mobility, changing needs and patterns, evolution of future demand, business models and their implications are of paramount importance for the evolution of the European transport system. Scenario development taking into account societal trends, evidence on causalities, policy objectives and technology foresight in a 2050 perspective will be carried out. In view of better understanding the links between territorial development, social cohesion and the European transport system, robust models are needed on which sound policy decisions can be taken. Research will focus on how to reduce social and territorial inequalities in access to mobility and on how to improve the position of vulnerable transport users. Economic issues must also be addressed, focusing on ways to internalise the externalities from transport across modes, as well as taxation and pricing models. Prospective research is needed to assess future requirements for skills and jobs, research and innovation development and uptake as well as transnational cooperation. The activities will be organised in such a way as to allow for an integrated and mode-specific approach as appropriate. Multiannual visibility and continuity will be necessary in order to take into account the specificities of each transport mode and the holistic nature of challenges as well as relevant aspects of the strategic research and innovation agendas of European Technology Platforms. Consideration may be given to support relevant Joint Programming Initiatives (JPIs) and the relevant public-public and public-private partnerships. Appropriate links with the actions of relevant European Innovation Partnerships will also be established. Activities shall also focus on increasing the support and promoting the involvement of SMEs.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-11-04 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.