Research Overview
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General information
The railway supply industry invests up to Euro 1000 Million each year in research and development. New materials, signalling, telecommunication and information systems are the result of this effort. Small and medium sized enterprises are bringing much innovation to the sector.
Innovating and harmonising products and technologies are a necessity for the rail market to deploy all its potential, and for its stakeholders to deliver cost-effective services for intermediate and final clients. Rail transport in Europe is a future-oriented industry and is determined to offer an even more attractive, affordable, safe, clean, competitive and reliable transport mode.
The rail sector organisations, UNIFE, UIC, CER, EIM, EURNEX and UITP have agreed within ERRAC, the European Rail Research Advisory Council – www.errac.org, on a "Joint Strategy for European Rail Research – 2020. Towards a Single European Railway System" (SRRA). This strategy is based on the idea that joint research into the practical implementation of rail interoperability is key to achieving a complete Single European Railway System, and is decisive for the success and the competitiveness of the Railways and the Rail Supply Industry.
The following long-term research priorities areas for the next decade have been defined in the updated SRRA of May 2007: Intelligent mobility , Energy and environment , Personal security , Test, homologation and security , Competitiveness and enabling technologies. European policy makers will encourage these efforts.
Today all UNIFE Members are closely following the ERRAC activities and invited to actively participate to the work of this European Technology Platform to define R&D priorities for the FP7 R&D calls and for the future of the rail system.
UNIFE R&D activities from 2007
Responding to the EC’s FP7 R&D initiatives, UNIFE’s coordination role involving its members continued in 2007 with the preparation of the 1st call for proposals.
Eight rail project proposals were submitted in June and have been successfully evaluated (considered by the EC as good proposals). Only INESS, MODSafe and SYMPASS have been funded under the 1st call. ERRAC, CERTITRAIN, LITE, ProWEEL and Intereefers were not funded. The EC received requests for funding of around € 900 million, from which € 192 million are available for research for all transport modes (road, rail, waterborne and intermodal). Rail received around € 22 million from the total of € 192 million.
The ERRAC Chairman and the UNIFE Management met with Mr. Siegler, Director at the European Commission responsible for transport research, and clearly expressed their disappointment about the result under the new rules of the FP7, which put in competition all modes of surface transport without enough consideration for rail.
On 23 November 2007, UNIFE organised a brainstorming meeting in order to prepare for the next EU project proposals submission (2nd call under FP7). Luisa Prista, Head of Unit for Surface Transport of the DG Research (European Commission), was also present stated that more attention will be given to the rail sector in the 2nd call.
UNIFE presented under the FP7 2nd call in 2008 a total of 8 project proposals driven by UNIFE. The 2009 started well with the positive evaluation and acceptance of six UNIFE led R&D projects by the European Commission's Directorate General Research and Development.
They are: CleanER-D, PM 'n' Idea, Aerotrain, Dynotrain and Pantotrain under the Triotrain umbrella and the ERRAC Roadmaps proposal which was a joint effort together with UIC. All these projects successfully kicked off in 2009 and are now already well established and recognized in the entire European railway landscape, be it at ERA level or, for example, through the publication of articles in the specialised press.
Moreover, for the ongoing Railenergy project, the highlight of the year, were the Energy Efficiency Days in Tours (EED) on 23-26 September 2009. The EED's - jointly organised by UNIFE, UIC and SNCF - showcased energy efficiency strategies and solutions for the railway sector and provided a unique international platform for showcasing its results so far and fostering the exchange of information in this field. The event was attended by some 250 participants.
UNIFE will also propose strategies for an enhanced medium to long term common R&D vision, which will be defined by a common commission of the Technical and Strategic Committees. The implementation of this strategy, which in 2009 prepared the offers for the FP7 third call, will continue in view of building the offers for the FP7 fourth call in 2010. It will be ensured through an even better integrated management of UNIFE participation in JPCR, ERRAC and technical regulation activities (ERA, NRMM directive experts group etc.)
To visit UNIFE's section on ERRAC, please click here
For further information on R&D projects, you can visit the pages related to:
Recently launched projects Ongoing projects Past projects
For further general information, please contact
Giorgio Travaini
Senior Technical Manager
+ 32 2 643 70 89
giorgio.travaini@unife.org
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