ERTRAC publishes position paper to reinforce European collaborative research in road transport
A new position paper by ERTRAC advocates for a dedicated space for road transport research in the upcoming Horizon Europe programme 2028-2034.
In the context of the preparations for the new EU budget 2028-3034 and of the follow-up to Horizon Europe, ERTRAC and numerous European associations focused on research and innovation for road transport—including ALICE, EARPA, ECTRI, ERTICO, EUPAVE, FEHRL, FIA, IRU, UITP, and POLIS—advocate for dedicated funding for road transport research. This message stems from the conviction that European collaborative research is essential for enhancing the efficiency, sustainability, safety, and resilience of the entire mobility system.
European collaborative research is the key
In the Industrial Action Plan for the European automotive sector, published in March 2025, the European Commission had announced an upcoming Joint Undertaking (JU) within the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). This future Automotive JU is built on the previous partnerships 2Zero, CCAM, and Batteries, and it aims to become a key tool to organise collaborative research in the sector and support the competitiveness of the European automotive industry.
Supporting this initiative, ERTRAC emphasises the ongoing need for research and innovation (R&I) funding to facilitate the transformation of the broader road transport and mobility system. It reinforces the need to adopt a system approach that has a holistic view of the road transport system core elements.
Research into urban mobility, public transport, logistics, road safety, physical and digital infrastructure, energy systems, active travel, and shared mobility is vital for enhancing sustainability, safety, accessibility, and resilience within road transport. These factors collectively enable the mobility of people and goods while ensuring the long-term prosperity of the European industry, and the multistakeholder collaborative approach is the correct one to tackle systemic challenges such as these.
Within the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF), ERTRAC encourages the inclusion of transport as a key sector for support. A coherent funding mechanism should link R&D facilitated by Horizon Europe with market implementation through the ECF, particularly focusing on road transport. Effective governance, involving stakeholders, must be established to ensure optimal coordination between FP10 and ECF initiatives.
