3 of SYMPEUS' 5 WPs have been active in the reporting period. Foreseen deliverables (D) and milestones (MS) have been submitted/passed.
WP1 Coordination, project management, communication and dissemination
Management and reporting processes with monthly consortium meetings were established. (Task T1.1).
One change in staff involved in the project took place in ECTRI: Giuseppe Loveno Garofalo has replaced Sylvie Vandereyd (administrative support), and additionally supports communication and dissemination activities.
T1.2 coordinates risk, data and knowledge management. D1.2 Data Management, created in M2 and updated (D1.5) defined rules of data and information collection, analysis, and dissemination. A risk log was created, and is monitored in the monthly meetings. D1.3 Risk and Quality Management Plan was delivered.
T1.3 delivered D1.4 Plan for Dissemination and Exploitation including Communication Activities. It defines the project’s identity, target audiences, key channels/tools, and a monitoring framework. D1.4 was reviewed as MS5, in M18. Regular project updates have been shared via partners' websites, newsletters, and social media. The 2024 symposium report was widely disseminated via EU platforms and events, partner channels, institutional newsletters (e.g. DG MOVE, TRIMIS, NCPs), national stakeholders. Targeted dissemination of symposium findings was made to European and international audiences and a workshop at TRB Annual Meeting 2025 was co-organised. In parallel a U.S. report was prepared and released separately by US DOT.
WP2 EU-US Symposium 2024
7th EU-US Transport Research Symposium, 11-12 June, 2024, in Washington DC, had the theme “Global Pathways to Net-Zero: Social, Behavioural and Technological Research and Innovation Strategies for Transportation Decarbonisation”, and discussed 4 key topics:
1. Accelerating the Transition to Electrification and Alternative Fuels
2. Ensuring a Just Transition to Net-Zero Transport
3. Leveraging Digitalisation, Artificial Intelligence, and Other Integrated System-of-Systems Technologies to Decarbonise Transport
4. Implementing Sustainable and Resilient Land Use and Transportation System Design.
Topics and policies for EU-US R&I cooperation were also discussed.
For the 2024 symposium SYMPEUS carried out the following:
In T2.1:
· Managed experts’ invitations and registration process.
· Informed experts about reimbursement principles, provided forms for reimbursement request, issued a micro-contract with each expert
· Issued the contract for the rapporteur (S.Punte)
· Supported experts with relevant symposium material, logistical information
· Covered for EU experts’ travel and subsistence costs by handling reimbursements
· Provided fee payment to the EU rapporteur upon completion of final report.
In T2.2:
• All SYMPEUS partners were members of the planning committee (PC), and helped to define the symposium preparation, execution, dissemination
• G. Meyer (VDI/VDE-IT) supported drafting of a "White Paper", with K. Flemming (US)
• Presented a pool of 35 EU experts to EC for selection of the 25 to be invited
• G. Meyer, with C. Hendrickson (US), co-chaired the PC, and co-moderated the symposium
• Supported EC in identifying 4 experts as leaders for the 4 subthemes (ST): G. Meyer, K. Vancluysen (POLIS), M. van Schijndel de Nooij (TU Eindhoven) and T. Crowe (UCD)
• Supported development of structure, sessions, topics of the programme
• VDI/VDE-IT elaborated and executed principles for management of the EU experts’ participation, contributions, reimbursement
• I. Skogsmo(VTI) and C. Alméras (ECTRI) supported sub-theme sessions as facilitators, rapporteurs
• Helped in identifying the EU rapporteur who drafted the proceedings. VDI/VDE-IT performed quality management of the report and disseminated it.
Applicable parts of these steps will be replicated in the organisation of the following symposia.
WP3 EU-US Symposium 2025
3 March 2025 the US DOT announced that the 2025 EU-US Symposium would be postponed by one year due to administrative delays associated with the leadership transition within US DOT. Despite this, both the EC and US DOT reaffirm their commitment to the symposium series.
The Symposium was originally planned to take place on 11-12 June 2025 in Brussels, with the theme “Digital Transitions to the Future Transportation” and 4 ST:
1. Digital Infrastructure for Transportation
2. "Advancing Person Mobility Through Digitalization” or “Urban and sub-urban person mobility through digitalization” (final title TBC)
3. AI, Data, and Digital Intelligence for Future Transportation
4. Supply Chain Management and Logistics
In T3.1 covering the 2025 symposium organisation, including logistics, expert reimbursements, rapporteur fees, SYMPEUS:
· Assessed venue, equipment, catering, accommodation options; selected the Warwick Hotel in Brussels
· Finalised venue booking and signed contract
· Renegotiated contract with venue due to the project pause. Remaining logistical activities, expert invitations, contracts are currently on hold
In T3.2 to enhance the impact of the symposium by supporting content development, expert engagement, facilitation, report editing, and advising on methodology, SYMPEUS:
· Supported EC in identifying PC members: M. Russ (AutriaTech) – PC co-chair & ST1 lead, S. Haon (UITP)-ST2, E. Pilli-Sihvola (VTT)-ST3, V. Ehrler (IÉSEG School of Management)-ST4
· Convened the PC, documented meetings, made outputs available
· Proposed a pool of experts to EC who approved as 25 key EU experts
· Initiated discussions on the 2-day programme overall structure and methods for expert engagement
· Following the US DOT announcement, PC members have been informed. Most recent drafts of the White Paper, Programme, and related documents have been made available in the shared workspace. Tentative new dates: June 9-10, 2026.
