COST actions in field of transport
Transport activities are seen as one of the priority areas in the COST programme for scientific and technological cooperation in Europe, and have been since the programme was established in 1971. The COST Transport Secretariat works within the European Commission's Directorate-General for Transport, ensuring close relations with both the Community's Transport specific RTD programme of the Fourth Framework Programme, and staff working on transport issues and policies other than research. Transport is well-suited to the COST framework, since it combines activities from several disciplines, and there is a need for harmonization at European level. Liaison with national governments is a major part of the work of the COST Secretariat. Currently some 16 COST actions are under way in the transport field, with a further five in preparation. Twenty actions have been completed in the transport area.