Transferring transport knowledge across the EU
The EU-funded project 'Empowering transport research with the special focus on the new accession states and the candidate countries' (ETRA.CC) targeted integration of transport research and development (R&D) results in a growing Eastern Europe. It created mechanisms addressing transition of new Member States in the region, particularly from state-driven transport systems to market-driven ones. The project built on an earlier initiative, the already established network of medium and large transport research facilities (Intransnet). ETRA.CC developed a multilingual online platform for transport research that enhances cooperation and networking among researchers. This encompasses other stakeholders from academia, industry and facility operators. The website was designed to offer a multitude of services to encourage cooperation. These included a download centre, events calendar, news, researcher database, funding opportunities, knowledge directory and information on research and high-tech advances. While the ETRA.CC did not develop policies for modernising transport in new European states, it did promote the creation of successful market-driven environments to replace faltering state-owned ones. Part of the solution included support for moving certain areas of R&D to these countries. Lastly, cooperation among industry, research institutions and academia was also strengthened to encourage the development of innovative solutions and new ways of thinking about future technologies in the sector. Thanks to these efforts public transport in new Member States now has a much better chance of being modernised.