TEN-T Days 2018: Connecting Europe with investment in innovative mobility solutions
From 25 – 27 April 2018 26 Ministers, 17 of which are from European Union Member States, and over 2,000 transport experts and decision-makers will join the TEN-T Days 2018 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. This year’s conference will focus on smart, sustainable and safe mobility on the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) and the appropriate investment in transport connectivity. In order to facilitate exchange and foster jobs and growth in the transport sector, TEN-T Days 2018 offers a new, dynamic format of bringing innovators of futuristic mobility solutions together with investors.
Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc will represent the European Commission during these three days. She will be joined by Vice-President for Energy Union Maroš Šefčovič, Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources Günther Oettinger and Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Crețu. In addition, Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar and Bulgarian Minister for Transport Ivaylo Moskovski and Karima Delli, Chair of the Committee on Transport and Tourism in the European Parliament will participate in the Grand Opening
Commissioner Bulc said, “As a former entrepreneur business and innovation are close to my heart. With this year’s edition of the TEN-T Days, the Commission is bringing together people from all parts of the transport sector to facilitate exchanges, and ensure that we can build the European transport network of the future. The Commission is there to assist you with our expertise and where possible also with EU funding.”
Investment needs in transport are tremendous. Therefore, on 26 April Transport Commissioner Bulc dedicates a breakfast session to investors and companies to promote investment in sustainable transport. Participants of the high-level interinstitutional meeting will discuss synergies between transport, energy and digital connectivity, and the investment in the post 2020 framework. The session will be leading to the “Ljubljana declaration” initiated by members of the transport industry on key principles for investment in smart, sustainable and safe mobility. In the afternoon, VIPs will address the necessary prioritisation of investment in transport infrastructure during the plenary sessions.
In the Core Network Corridor meetings the European Coordinators for the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) will present the third Work Plan for each of their Corridors, ERTMS and Motorways of the Sea. The sessions will also look at the current state of play of investments from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) on the corridor and highlight good practice project examples.
Starting on 25 April more than 25 young European entrepreneurs and 50 large public and private promoters will showcase innovative mobility solutions to the audience and have the opportunity to meet future investors, with support of the European Investment Project Portal. Projects presented include 4 Hyperloop-initiatives (a new mode of transportation via electric propulsion through a low-pressure tube), Sailrouter (reduced fuel consumption of merchant ships by using data) and GoOpti (affordable airport transfers). A hackathon will focus on the challenge of creating Ljubljana’s mobility future. Teams of participants will have two days to develop their vision for the Slovenian capital in 2030.
There will be ministerial sessions with the Western Balkans and Turkey, as well as with Southern Mediterranean and Eastern Partnership countries. The aim of the meeting is to foster transport connectivity between the European Member States and our neighbours as well as making border crossings more efficient and raising road safety.
TEN-T Days attendees will be able to visit a large exhibition of innovative mobility solutions.
@Transport_EU and @INEA_EU will be live tweeting from the conference.
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/infrastructure/news/2018-04-25-ten-t-days_en