Era-Net Cofund Urban Accessibility and Connectivity (ENUAC) call out now!
The ERA-NET Cofund Urban Accessibility and Connectivity (EN-UAC) started a first co-funded call at the end of 2019 and will run until 2024. Within the context of this ERA-NET, sustainable urban accessibility and connectivity is defined as the ease with which activities and opportunities may be reached in an urban transport system, with lower negative environmental impacts. Network connectivity reflects the directness of routes, using different modes to travel between points. It applies both for passenger and freight transport.
The dramatic consequences of the climate crisis are already starting to become visible, making it apparent that swift and effective actions to reduce GHG emissions are unavoidable. Urban transport is a major contributor to GHG emissions and thus calls for a significant reduction, especially in a highly urbanised continent like Europe. Innovative solutions are required for cities of all types and sizes, with new options for managing access as means for accelerating their transitions towards attractive and climate-neutral places for living. Doing so will be key for necessary traffic avoidance and create the freedom to redistribute the precious (while always limited) space of urban streets to sustainable transport modes and high-quality public space.
Call topics
The innovation-oriented research and development projects are expected to address relevant technologies, novel practices, business and operating models and policies to enable and facilitate cities in conceptualising, piloting, replicating and scaling urban accessibility and access management measures or regulation schemes.
Proposals are expected to select one main topic they wish to focus their work on but may still include challenges and themes from the other topics:
- Utilising untapped potentials and mainstreaming of measures for managing urban accessibility
- Making measures for managing urban accessibility accepted and participatory
- Making measures for managing urban accessibility more agile
- Making measures for managing urban accessibility effective, robust and impactful
Projects looked for
This call is open for proposals referring to a broader range of project types, from applied research to demonstration (see definitions below). Projects must address either “applied research” or “innovation / implementation” or both. In more detail, the call is aiming at the following research and project types:
- Applied research: proof of concept, research to proof feasibility, small-scale prototypes;
- Piloting/testing/labs: prototype testing in real environment;
- Demonstration: demonstration in real environment, system integration.
Who can apply?
Consortia as a whole have to include at least two eligible applicants from at least two of the different countries participating in the call (Austria, Belgium/Brussels Capital Region/Flanders, Latvia, Sweden and Turkey). At least one specific stakeholder has to be included in each project either as a co-applicant or co-operation partner.
Timeline
- Call opening 7 April 2022
- Full proposal deadline 15 September 2022
- Eligibility check September 2022
- Meeting of Expert Panel to assess proposals November 2022
- Funding recommendation November 2022
- Earliest start of projects January 2023
For more information, please visit the JPI Urban Europe website
Original news available on https://jpi-urbaneurope.eu/calls/enuac-innovation-action/
Author: Fred DOTTER
