As 2025 draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on a year of momentum, sometimes bold, sometimes quiet, in which our strategic vision matured, our partnerships deepened, and our collective voice grew more confident, more essential, and more outward-looking.
A Changing Global Context for European Mobility
In 2025, Europe’s smart mobility agenda was shaped by intensifying geopolitical competition, pressure on clean technology supply chains, and a rapidly evolving digital landscape dominated by global powers. Volatile energy markets and dependencies on critical materials highlight the need for resilient, sovereign and climate-aligned transport systems, while the global race in automation, AI-driven mobility services and connected-infrastructure standards pushes Europe to innovate faster without compromising its principles.
To stay competitive, Europe must accelerate research, strengthen its data policies, and advance robust AI frameworks that ensure trustworthy, interoperable and secure applications across the mobility ecosystem. In this environment, Europe’s ability to turn external pressures into drivers of innovation will define its leadership in sustainable and intelligent mobility. For ERTICO, these shifts reinforce the urgency of its mission: uniting public and private actors to scale innovative solutions, guide European standardisation efforts and ensure that digital, connected and cooperative mobility evolves in line with Europe’s values.
Sharpening Our Strategic Focus
From the very first months, we sharpened our focus on digitalisation, data and AI as tangible levers for a safer, more sustainable, more resilient and more inclusive future for smart mobility. A milestone moment arrived in June with our first Annual Partnership Forum and the 35th General Assembly: a turning point in the evolution of the ERTICO Partnership. There, we introduced our renewed Vision, Mission and four Strategic Areas, accompanied by clear enablers and outcomes. It was, without question, a moment that reaffirmed ERTICO as a catalyst for collective impact, and this framework will guide our collective actions for years to come. The launch of our new website and refreshed branding echoed the same message: clarity, ambition and unity of purpose.
Our renewed strategic directions capture a simple truth: mobility serves everyone, everywhere. We empower transport for people, ensuring that daily journeys remain safe, efficient and accessible. We strengthen the transport of goods, reinforcing Europe’s economic resilience and supply-chain reliability. We support smarter urban and suburban networks to enhance connectivity and ease congestion. And we advance seamless cross-border and inter-urban corridors that knit regions together and unlock new opportunities.
Reaffirming Mobility that Serves Everyone
Throughout the year, the ERTICO office actively shaped Europe’s policy landscape with expertise and foresight. Our contribution to Commissioner Tzitzikostas’ Automotive Industrial Action Plan, centred on software-defined vehicles, data accessibility and AI, reflected our longstanding commitment to the digitalisation of transport. Building on this, we continued to advocate for a strong Framework Programme 10 (FP10) and the importance of research, innovation and skills in strengthening Europe’s competitiveness and technological sovereignty.
If one theme defined 2025, it was Artificial Intelligence. Our AI White Paper, the “Focus On” series with key Directorates-General, and the cross-national collaboration under AIAMO all revealed Europe’s appetite for clarity and guidance in this rapidly evolving domain. With the launch of the AI Continent Action Plan and our forthcoming “Apply AI” Strategic Framework, we enter a new chapter: one where AI will shape the next decade of mobility more than any single technological force, and one where the ERTICO Partnership is already leading the way.
The Power of Collective Leadership at Europe’s leading event on ITS
A highlight that will remain vivid for all of us was the 16th ITS European Congress in Seville. With more than 3,000 participants from 70+ countries, 150 sessions, 140 exhibitors and dynamic live demonstrations, Seville became a living laboratory of AI-enabled traffic management, advanced safety solutions and smarter governance. The Smart Mobility Summit of Cities & Regions showcased urban leadership in electrification, data-driven mobility and emerging air mobility services.
Within this vibrant setting, the ERTICO–CEDR Collaboration Forum emerged as a pivotal moment. Road authorities aligned around a shared digital transformation agenda, underscoring that interoperable data, digital road management, AI and ITS are no longer optional enhancements; they are the backbone of modern infrastructure policy. The recent launch of ERTICO’s National Moonshot initiative reflects the rising need for national strategies that connect seamlessly with European ambitions. The message is clear: only coordinated, cross-sector action can build a future-ready transport system.
Extending ERTICO’s Reach Across the World
Beyond Seville, ERTICO’s influence resonated across Europe and internationally. We engaged in crucial dialogues with the European institutions, the Commission and the European Parliament. The team also contributed to many events. Among many, we participated in EUCAD, POLIS, ITF/OECD and the Global Connectivity Forum.
On the global stage, the ITS World Congress in Atlanta elevated Europe’s leadership and marked the beginning of the road to Birmingham 2027. Looking ahead, our focus now turns to the ITS European Congress 2026 in Istanbul, where we will write the next chapter together with the ambition to bridge innovation towards a more integrated, safe, and seamless mobility future. Gender inclusion, diversity and inclusive solutions industry.
Growing and Empowering Our Partnership
Strengthening our Partnership remained at the heart of our mission. This year, we welcomed 11 new members, enriching our ecosystem with fresh expertise and new perspectives: SALFO Engineering & Management, SHIFT – London Legacy Development Corporation’s Innovation Agency, Miovision, Actia, Beemobs, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Luxembourg National Data Service, Systra, MOST, Transport for London and Transport for Greater Manchester.
Through new initiatives, podcasts, interviews and the second ITS Market Radar, we expanded our knowledge-sharing landscape, ensuring that the insights generated by our community continue to inspire and inform.
Driving Progress through Projects and Collaboration
In 2025, we developed and supported a record number of 40 European-funded projects, coordinated together with our Partners, consortium members and external stakeholders. While concluding several landmark projects that brought Europe closer to safer, cleaner and more connected mobility, including FAME, GUIDE, IN2CCAM, LeMesurier, NextETRUCK, PoDIUM, PRIVATEER and SINFONICA, it also brought a new wave of EU-funded projects, including CAMBER, CCAMbassador, CERTAIN, CHORUS, FEDORA, MACBETH, SCUDO, SMARTIN, TISGRADE and O-CEI. These will help shape the next era of innovative solutions across the domains of Intelligent Transport Systems.
Looking Ahead to 2026 with Confidence
As we slowly close the chapter of 2025, we will look forward to embracing 2026 with our Partners’ continuous ambitions, projects’ advancements in innovation, and the ERTICO team translating its commitment to the values: Cooperative, Impactful, Open, Passionate, Visionary.
Even when the path grows demanding, our Partners, our Supervisory Board, our Strategy Committee and the outstanding ERTICO team rise to every challenge with remarkable resilience and unity. Thank you for the commitment, creativity and heart you bring to this shared mission. You are the engine of everything we achieve.
As we close this transformative year, we are reminded of a simple truth: strategy succeeds only when people move together. In 2025, we moved together. With purpose, ambition and humanity, ERTICO continues to help shape the future of intelligent, sustainable and inclusive mobility in Europe and beyond.
As we look back on this year, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the entire ERTICO team. Your dedication, professionalism and unwavering commitment are the driving forces behind every achievement we celebrate today. 2025 has been another shared journey made of challenges that stretched us, moments that demanded courage and clarity, and many good days filled with the quiet satisfaction of progress. It was also made of those invaluable in-between moments: the thoughtful conversations, the sense of trust that builds when people work together with honesty and purpose. These are the moments that shape a team, and they are the reason ERTICO feels not only dynamic, but deeply human.
A heartfelt thank you goes to our Management Team and especially to Joost Vantomme, our CEO, whose guidance, steadiness and generosity of spirit have supported us through both demanding turns and successful milestones. His leadership has been a constant anchor as we navigated complexity and celebrated growth.
As the festive season approaches, let us pause to celebrate what we have accomplished, appreciate the community we have built, and carry this renewed spirit into 2026. A new year awaits, full of possibilities, full of energy, and full of opportunities to turn vision into action.
Warm wishes for a joyful holiday season and a promising year ahead!
ERTICO Chairman of the Supervisory Board
Dr Angelos Amditis
