On 10 May 2012, the Research Coordination Group Plenary met at UIC HQ in Paris. The Research Coordination Group aims to offer sustainable and efficient support to UIC members in their effort to coordinate research activities. In doing so, the group seeks to avoid duplication of research, strengthen UIC participation and its members in collaborative research programmes, as well as provide coordinated research priorities from the Rail Operating Community in ERRAC.
This Plenary was the occasion to introduce the new Chairmanship of RCG composed of Mrs Andrea Schaer from Deutsche Bahn AG and Mr Bo Olsson from Trafikverket, Sweden, following the departure of former Chairman Mr Christophe Chéron, from SNCF, to the French Ministry of Transport.
The main discussions concentrated on:
- Review of results of the 5th Call under FP7
- Preparation of the 6th Call with planning of forthcoming ERRAC open workshops
- Horizon 2020 (positioning of the railway sector)
- Development of a sector’s strategic document, “Challenge 2050”
- Future governance of ERRAC and its research priorities through the ERRAC Roadmaps and “Rail Route 2050”
- Report from TRA event
- Future developments of the JTI SHIFT2Rail
This Plenary session was the occasion for the new Chairmanship to recall the key role played by RCG in the development of coordinated positions – with respect to rail research between the different actors among the Rail Operating Community – and its wish to continue to work actively in the future with ERRAC, so that rail can meet the challenge of 2050: become the backbone of transport in Europe.
Calendar of next RCG Plenary meetings:
- 04/09/2012 in Paris
- 22/11/2012 in Brussels
