€170m for rail innovation
Shift2Rail has launched its first calls for proposals as part of Horizon 2020.
A total of €170m is being made available to researchers; the first calls cover the five Shift2Rail innovation programmes. The calls are split into two categories: the first reserved for Joint Undertaking (JU) members only, which have a total value of €63.7m, and open calls, which have a total value of €26.1m, and will be available to companies, universities, research institutes and other non-Shift2Rail members.
Commenting, Violeta Bulc, European Commissioner for Transport, said: “Keeping European rail at the forefront of innovation will open new markets globally for our companies. It will also make rail more attractive for passengers and businesses. This is essential to reach our ambitious transport decarbonisation objectives.”
The European Commission is contributing €90m to the calls, whilst €80m is being made available by the members of Shift2Rail. According to Brussels, bids will need to demonstrate their ability to increase the quality, reliability and punctuality of rail services while cutting its costs and facilitating cross-border travel in order to be funded.
Adding his thoughts, Christos Economou, the interim executive director of Shift2Rail, said: “The launch of the first calls is an important milestone for the Shift2Rail JU. I am convinced the Shift2Rail partners will deliver results that no single company, country or even the EU as such would achieve alone.”
The founding members of the JU will be joined by 19 associated members from across the continent following a Commission Decision taken last week. The deadline for the submission of proposals is 17 March 2016.
