European Perspectives: Prospects for Transport Research under the European Sixth Framework Programme

Abstract

The European Commission provides an important source of funding for research and
development in many sectors including transport. Recent analysis indicates that the European
Commission currently funds almost a quarter of all publicly financed research and
development projects in the European Union (Schelhowe, 2002). The vast majority of
European research funding comes from the EU’s research ‘framework programmes’: multiannual programmes for research, technological development and demonstration (RTD)
activities. The current framework programme, the Fifth Framework Programme (FP5), sets
European research priorities for RTD activities up to 2002. Beyond 2002, a new framework
programme, the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), will set EU research priorities.
Preparations are now well underway within the European Commission for this new
framework programme, which will identify European research priorities for RTD activities up
to 2006. At the time of writing (early 2002), the European Commission is close to adopting
proposals regarding the specific programmes and the implementation of FP6. This article
examines the draft proposals for FP6 and identifies the prospects for transport research
funding from the European Commission over the next few years. Of course it is possible that
the content of the Sixth Framework Programme will not exactly match the draft proposals reported in this paper although it is most unlikely that any of the main areas of research will
change.