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TRA conference well on track

The coming TRA 2012 transport event in Athens is now gathering momentum. The event will benefit from the strength of its organising body.
March 22, 2012 Read time: 6 mins
The coming 345 TRA 2012 transport event in Athens is now gathering momentum. The event will benefit from the strength of its organising body. In a recent message, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, Commissioner for Research & Innovation, said that, "TRA2012 in Athens will be a unique platform for public and private stakeholders to start mobilising towards setting priorities for Horizon 2020, in particular via the various European Technology Platforms, and gearing towards 3287 EU policy orientations and the expectations of society".

At TRA2012 in Athens next April, attendees will learn about Horizon 2020, the 2465 European Commission proposal for a new Research & Innovation Framework Programme coming into force in January 2014. Have the privilege of getting first-hand information on the proposed €7.7 billion transport component of this programme and contributing to its priorities. Attendees will be able to take part in a series of 13 strategic sessions covering all modes and tackling the entire spectrum of activities envisaged by the Framework Programme to achieve smart, green and integrated transport for Europe. Horizon 2020 is the new Framework Programme that will cover all research and innovation activities of the EU as of 2014. This legislative proposal was adopted by the European Commission on 30th November 2011. Horizon 2020 is structured around three distinct blocks. Excellence in the science base will strengthen the EU's scientific excellence through actions supporting frontier research, researcher's mobility and research infrastructures.

Excellent research is the foundation on which the Innovation Union and the push for growth and jobs are based. Creating industrial leadership and competitive frameworks will support business research and innovation. Actions will focus on increasing investment in industrial and enabling technologies, facilitating access to finance, and providing EU-wide support for innovative SMEs. Tackling societal challenges will respond to challenges identified in the "Europe 2020" strategic document. This block includes a chapter dedicated to transport research and innovation under the heading "Smart, green and integrated transport", a title close to TRA2012's slogan of "Sustainable mobility through innovation". Horizon 2020 aims at drastically cutting red tape in the execution of the programme, and simplifying the management of projects. A challenge is to achieve a European transport system that is resource–efficient, environmentally-friendly, safe and seamless for the benefit of its citizens, economy and society. This is reflected in the four activities of the new 'Smart, green and integrated transport' component of Horizon 2020. The European Commission proposal foresees funding of close to €7.7 billion, meaning a 67% increase in comparison to the FP7 transport research budget.

Targets include better mobility, less congestion, more safety and security, with a substantial reduction of traffic congestion, improvements in the mobility of people and freight, developing and applying new concepts of freight transport and logistics and reducing accident rates and fatal casualties and improving security. Global leadership for the European transport industry will investigate developing the next generation of transport means, on-board, smart control systems, advanced production processes and exploring new transport concepts. Evidence-based transport policy for the long term will provide foresight for long term scenarios, policy support and impact studies, as well as mobility models, transport economies and business models. TRA 2012 in Athens will help attendees learn more about the "Smart, green and integrated transport" programme, its objectives and implementation. The most important topic for 2012 will be the creation of an integrated public policy that benefits both mobility and urban development. One of the main attractions of TRA2012 is its wide conference programme. These range from high-level interventions about the future European integrated transport system, through round-table discussions on the competitiveness of European transport industries to presentations on innovative technologies for individual challenges such as sustainable mobility in cities. Online registration for TRA2012 is now open and interested parties can register and take advantage of this high-level and interactive conference. www.traconference.eu The coming TRA 2012 transport event in Athens is now gathering momentum.

The event will benefit from the strength of its organising body. In a recent message, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, Commissioner for Research & Innovation, said that, "TRA2012 in Athens will be a unique platform for public and private stakeholders to start mobilising towards setting priorities for Horizon 2020, in particular via the various European Technology Platforms, and gearing towards EU policy orientations and the expectations of society". At TRA2012 in Athens next April, attendees will learn about Horizon 2020, the European Commission proposal for a new Research & Innovation Framework Programme coming into force in January 2014. Have the privilege of getting first-hand information on the proposed €7.7 billion transport component of this programme and contributing to its priorities. Attendees will be able to take part in a series of 13 strategic sessions covering all modes and tackling the entire spectrum of activities envisaged by the Framework Programme to achieve smart, green and integrated transport for Europe. Horizon 2020 is the new Framework Programme that will cover all research and innovation activities of the EU as of 2014. This legislative proposal was adopted by the European Commission on 30th November 2011.

Horizon 2020 is structured around three distinct blocks. Excellence in the science base will strengthen the EU's scientific excellence through actions supporting frontier research, researcher's mobility and research infrastructures. Excellent research is the foundation on which the Innovation Union and the push for growth and jobs are based. Creating industrial leadership and competitive frameworks will support business research and innovation. Actions will focus on increasing investment in industrial and enabling technologies, facilitating access to finance, and providing EU-wide support for innovative SMEs. Tackling societal challenges will respond to challenges identified in the "Europe 2020" strategic document. This block includes a chapter dedicated to transport research and innovation under the heading "Smart, green and integrated transport", a title close to TRA2012's slogan of "Sustainable mobility through innovation". Horizon 2020 aims at drastically cutting red tape in the execution of the programme, and simplifying the management of projects. A challenge is to achieve a European transport system that is resource–efficient, environmentally-friendly, safe and seamless for the benefit of its citizens, economy and society. This is reflected in the four activities of the new 'Smart, green and integrated transport' component of Horizon 2020.

The European Commission proposal foresees funding of close to €7.7 billion, meaning a 67% increase in comparison to the FP7 transport research budget. Targets include better mobility, less congestion, more safety and security, with a substantial reduction of traffic congestion, improvements in the mobility of people and freight, developing and applying new concepts of freight transport and logistics and reducing accident rates and fatal casualties and improving security. Global leadership for the European transport industry will investigate developing the next generation of transport means, on-board, smart control systems, advanced production processes and exploring new transport concepts. Evidence-based transport policy for the long term will provide foresight for long term scenarios, policy support and impact studies, as well as mobility models, transport economies and business models. TRA 2012 in Athens will help attendees learn more about the "Smart, green and integrated transport" programme, its objectives and implementation. The most important topic for 2012 will be the creation of an integrated public policy that benefits both mobility and urban development. One of the main attractions of TRA2012 is its wide conference programme. These range from high-level interventions about the future European integrated transport system, through round-table discussions on the competitiveness of European transport industries to presentations on innovative technologies for individual challenges such as sustainable mobility in cities. Online registration for TRA2012 is now open and interested parties can register and take advantage of this high-level and interactive conference.

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