New concerted action for research on demand management in Europe

In response to Council Directive 93/89/EEC, DG VII and DG XIII of the European Commission have established a concerted action for research on demand management in Europe (CARDME). The scope of CARDME is focused on electronic fee collection (EFC) systems for interurban road to...

In response to Council Directive 93/89/EEC, DG VII and DG XIII of the European Commission have established a concerted action for research on demand management in Europe (CARDME).

The scope of CARDME is focused on electronic fee collection (EFC) systems for interurban road tolling but will also take the requirements of other applications supported by EFC technologies into account. These include:

- Urban road pricing;
- Area access control;
- Congestion/pollution charging;
- Parking and ferry booking;
- Public transport;
- Information transfer to and from vehicles;
- Control of vehicle characteristics;
- Use of the electronic purse.

In this way it will contribute to the effective operation of trans-European networks and to promoting European interoperable technologies applicable to both urban and interurban environments.

This scope is closely linked to other transport telematics activities within the Fourth Framework Programme and to the work in European standardization bodies, which are preparing standards for electronic fee collection.

The specific aims of CARDME are:

- To identify obstacles to the interoperability of EFC systems on a European-wide basis;
- To undertake research, promotion consensus actions and make recommendations for the eventual elimination of the identified obstacles;
- To exchange experiences and views on the application of EFC systems in the different Member States and other countries (particularly in the various national trials on road tolling which are taking place or are about to start).

Work on the first series of tasks has now started.