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EUROPEAN TRANSPORT RESEARCH ALLIANCE – ETRA
Brussels, 20th September 2012
On 20th September 2012, the official launch of the European Transport Research
Alliance – ETRA took place in Brussels. In an official ceremony, the Presidents of five
major European associations and fora representing many transport research
organisations each signed the document creating the Alliance and containing the
Terms of Reference (ToR) for its operation. The signatories, and founding members
of the Alliance were: ECTRI (European Conference of Transport Research Institutes),
EURNEX (the European Rail Research Network of Excellence), FEHRL (Forum of
European National Highway Research Laboratories), FERSI (Forum of European Road
Safety Institutes) and HUMANIST (the Human centered design Network for
Information Society Technologies).
The creation of the Alliance is the culmination of a process to bring together
different transport research stakeholders and create the cooperation and integration
of European transport research that is a necessary pre‐requisite on the road to the
creation of the common European research space known as the European Research
Area ‐ ERA. The ETRA initiative is supported by the European Commission and its
creation came as a result of the preparatory work done under an EU‐funded project,
DETRA (Developing the European Transport Research Alliance), coordinated by
FEHRL.
Besides their commitment to work together on deepening the ERA in the field of
transport and addressing the Grand Challenges with which Europe is faced, the
founding organisations have defined a number of more detailed objectives for the
Alliance which are the following:
1. Providing a structure for the interchange of knowledge and making joint efforts
to foster research results through to their full implementation;
2. Promoting the setting of joint transport research priorities and coordinating
research programmes and initiatives;
3. Promoting cooperation in all relevant areas – starting with its partner
organisations and, where possible, developing cross‐modal and interdisciplinary
joint research activities (including JRIs);
4. Preparing common position papers (e.g. Strategic Research Agendas, road maps)
on key transport related issues for added value to the transport users and the
community as a whole;
5. Joint strengthening of the European research expertise, research infrastructures
and mobility of researchers through specific joint actions and initiatives;
6. Promoting the uptake of European transport expertise and innovation
internationally and vice versa;
7. Supporting the continued development of TRA (the Transport Research Arena
Conference) as the major European and international conference bringing
together all stakeholders in the sector; and
8. Other related initiatives as necessary.
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The new organisation complements the existing structures for transport research
and innovation provision in Europe by bringing a multi‐modal and research‐led
forum which will contribute to important debates on the future of European
transport. In this respect, it is expected to complement the European Technology
Platforms, the Advisory Groups and other bodies advising the European Commission
on issues of transport research and innovation production.
The event in Brussels was attended by many representatives of major organisations
and associations in the field of European transport research, representatives of the
European Commission and other stakeholders.
The founding members elected Prof. George A. Giannopoulos of the Hellenic
Institute of Transport as Chair of the ETRA for the next two years. Prof. Giannopoulos
is past Chairman of ECTRI and has been active in the European transport research
scene for many decades. Speaking to the audience at the launch ceremony, Prof.
Giannopoulos underlined that, as Chair of ETRA, he will work to promote the
objectives of the Alliance, while respecting its core values which, as defined in the
ToR signed by the founding members, comprise the following three principles:
i. Transparency;
ii. Mutual respect for distinctive roles and positions; and a
iii. Conviction and willingness to go forward together to develop the ERA in
Transport.
The offices and contact details for the ETRA will be announced soon, but all current
enquiries can be addressed to:
Mr. Steve Philips
Secretary‐General
FEHRL
Bd de la Woluwe 42/B3
1200 Brussels
Belgium
Email: steve.phillips@fehrl.org
Tel: +32 2 775 82 38.
European Transport Research Alliance – ETRA
Supported by:
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