As we reach the midpoint of 2026, I am proud to reflect on a first half of the year defined by momentum, collaboration and delivery. Building on the strategic foundations set in 2025, we have entered a new phase where our shared vision is translating into tangible action across the intelligent transport and mobility ecosystem.
This year is particularly significant for us at ERTICO as we celebrate the 35th anniversary. For more than three decades, we have brought together public authorities, industry leaders, service providers, research organisations and innovators to shape the future of mobility. Today, in an increasingly complex geopolitical and technological landscape, our role is more relevant than ever as Europe needs trusted platforms that connect policy, innovation and deployment, ensuring that new technologies create lasting value for society. More and more organisations working together towards shared goals and that is exactly what we have been doing.
The collective strength has been on full display the past six months. We welcomed our Partners to our 36th General Assembly on 9 June, and on this occasion, we had the great pleasure to reveal the 2026 Annual Video. More than a movie, it captures some of the key highlights and breakthroughs achieved from June 2025 to May 2026. This gives us a moment to reflect and celebrate on the progress we have made together while shaping the priorities that will continue guiding our future.
The following discussions the same week during ERTICO Activity Development Day on 11 June confirmed that our greatest strength continues to lie in our ability to unite diverse organisations from across the mobility ecosystem to address challenges that no single stakeholder can solve alone. As one of the key annual gatherings of the ERTICO Partnership, the event enabled partners and stakeholders to connect, share expertise and shape the next steps towards smarter, more connected mobility in Europe.
A growing public-private partnership with collective impact
Throughout the first six months of 2026, we have further strengthened our position as a neutral platform where ideas become action, welcoming eight new Partners to our network: Nextbike, TransiTool, Movias, evon, MaaSLab, the Development Organisation of the Municipality of Kifissia, the European Parking Association (EPA), and Giesecke+Devrient. Together, we expand our joint expertise across shared mobility, AI, digital transport solutions, smart infrastructure, parking, and public-sector innovation, significantly enhancing our ability to address mobility challenges.
At the ITS European Congress in Istanbul, the power of our ecosystem truly came to life. The ERTICO leadership delegation celebrated the strength of our network and the shared progress achieved as our partners took the stage throughout the event.
Our partners remain at the core of everything we do.iI is through continuous cross-fertilisation of ideas that we create solutions with lasting societal value. Besides concrete EU funded project work with our premium Partners, we amplified our Partner’s work through dedicated marketing and outreach actions such as the Partner in the Spotlight series with IRT SystemX, ITS Global, nextbike Cyprus and the University of Calabria and the LinkedIn PartnershipVoices campaigns with SAE, LIST, MOST, Yunex Traffic, Department for Transport UK, Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, DEKRA, VTT, Rijkswaterstaat.
A major milestone was the formalisation of our agreement with the International Transport Forum at the OECD. This step brings new momentum to our shared ambition to strengthen global transport dialogue and accelerate the deployment of intelligent mobility solutions. It combines ITF’s leadership in international transport policy with ERTICO’s practical expertise in intelligent transport systems, creating a powerful link between policy insight and real-world implementation.
In Istanbul, we also strengthened our engagement with 6GIA, the 6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association to support innovation at the convergence of transport and telecommunications. ERTICO is honoured to be part of the 6G IA Board, ensuring that the needs of transport and logistics are embedded in the evolution of next-generation connectivity.
I have been actively pleading for a robust next EU funding framework with a ringfenced approach for intelligence in the transport system and a focus also on deployment. ERTICO joined more than 60 leading transport organisations in signing a joint open letter urging EU Member States and the European Commission to increase the Connecting Europe Facility Transport under the next Multiannual Financial Framework 2028 to 2034. As the European Parliament formalised its negotiating position by recognising transport as an indispensable pillar for European competitiveness, security and climate neutrality, our collective voice has helped safeguard dedicated infrastructure funding and standalone support for the next research framework programme FP10. We also joined 86 European organisations in signing of the Joint Declaration for a Bold FP10 that can help Europe close its innovation gap and accelerate the green and digital transitions.
Following my strong plea to keep our key ITS industries competitive in Europe, we embarked in a deep dive exercise with European leaders to roll-out the Automotive Action Plan agreed by the European Commission in March last year. The European Commission selected ERTICO to participate in the European Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Alliance (ECAVA). By contributing to strategic working groups on Software Defined Vehicles, Data and AI, and Autonomous Vehicle Deployment, we are helping shape Europe’s industrial roadmap. This work perfectly syncs with the many EU funded projects that started now and has automotive components in it. This ensures also that future regulatory frameworks remain grounded in operational experience and cross-sector collaboration, a necessity further highlighted by the signing of a Joint Declaration of Intent by 18 Member States to accelerate large-scale cross-border testbeds for automated driving.
Through our leadership role in the European Commission’s Expert Group on Urban Mobility (EGUM) for the 2026 to 2027 cycle, we have embarked with a focus on City Access for Businesses as part of a new working group in EGUM in collaboration with other organisations. We also continue to bridge innovation and market readiness through regulatory milestones such as the EU type approval rules for Automated Valet Parking and data exchange frameworks for smart charging and demand response.
At the European Parliament STOA workshop on automated vehicles, ERTICO advocated for a human-centric and digitally sovereign approach that moves beyond isolated pilots towards public-private partnership models delivering real public benefit.
Finally, through our contributions to the AI Omnibus discussions, the implementation of the AI Act, and our White Paper on Artificial Intelligence in Transport and Mobility, we continue to advocate for practical, trustworthy and proportionate regulatory frameworks that are secure, transparent and centred on citizens.
Bringing the global mobility community together
Under the theme Bridging Innovation: Integrated, Safe and Seamless Mobility, the 17th ITS European Congress in Istanbul was a defining success for the global mobility community. Hosted in a vibrant megacity that literally bridges continents, the Congress attracted over 2,700 participants from 54 countries, 140+ exhibitors, and featured 400+ expert speakers across 115 sessions.
The European pavilion served as a collaboration hub, showcasing 24 EU-funded projects and innovation platforms alongside eight national ITS associations, highlighting the strength of a unified voice.
For the first time, the Congress introduced the co-created sessions developed jointly with key partner organisations, such as the Polis Network, Eurocities, the European Passengers' Federation and the ITS Nationals, bridging the gap between different mobility stakeholders, while over 35, real-time sessions took place in the ITS Arena.
With 82% of attendees rating the Congress a success, the feedback highlighted invaluable face-to-face connections, top-tier program content, and seamless delivery as the standouts of their experience.
The Post-Congress Report is a clear demonstration of our impact, but more importantly, it stands as a testament to the collective power of our community, highlighting the importance of cross-sector collaboration to drive real-world change.
Building on this momentum, global attention is now turning to upcoming flagship events that will further shape the future of transport. ERTICO is collaborating with ITS America and ITS Asia-Pacific to organise the 32nd ITS World Congress in Gangneung, South Korea, in October 2026, which will highlight automated driving, smart infrastructure and data-centric systems.
Looking even ahead, I am also pleased that the preparations are well underway for the ITS World Congress 2027 in Birmingham. Hosted by Transport for West Midlands and the West Midlands Combined Authority, and organised by ERTICO, next year’s WorldCongress is already attracting strong international interest from governments, cities, industry leaders and technology providers. With its four thematic pillars centred on human-centred mobility, sustainability, breakthrough technologies and business innovation, Birmingham will provide a global platform to demonstrate how intelligent transport can move from innovation to lasting societal impact.
Extending ERTICO’s presence on the global stage
ERTICO also brought European expertise to the forefront of global policy discussions at major events such as the TRB Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., where ERTICO Chairman Angelos Amditis took part in a high-level panel discussion. I had the pleasure to take part in many of the ITS National Association initiatives such as the ITS national Congresses of Mobil’in Pulse in Paris, ITS Poland and ITS Romania.
Bridging the gap between European innovation and international policy, we took centre stage at the 9th Road Transport Research (RTR) Conference 2026 in Brussels. Over three days, the ERTICO team steered critical discussions across a program featuring 32 sessions and 97 projects. We actively supported and presented our contributions to a wide range of EU-funded projects, driving the future of green vehicles, logistics, road safety, and automated road transport.
Our momentum carried over to the Transport Research Arena (TRA) 2026 in Budapest, where we established a strong presence with a dedicated ERTICO stand, which served as a joint hub for our EU-funded project portfolio. The event’s highlight took place at the European Commission booth, where we officially launched the Global CCAM Observatory.
In collaboration with the Commission, the CCAM Partnership and ERTICO’s coordinated EU-project CCAMbassador, we look forward to co-hosting key platforms that unite international stakeholders and align shared visions at:
• The 4th Interactive Symposium on Research and Innovation for Connected and Automated Driving in Europe (EUCAD Symposium 2026) in Geneva
• The 6th European Conference on Connected and Automated Driving (EUCAD 2027) in Brussels
Additionally, we expanded our collaborative footprint at Intertraffic Amsterdam 2026 by co-hosting the joint UK–ERTICO European Pavilion alongside ITS UK and Transport for West Midlands (TfWM). Beyond showcasing pioneering work on digital road safety and urban traffic orchestration, this stand served as a strategic global launchpad for the upcoming ITS World Congress 2027 in Birmingham.
Turning innovation into real-world deployment
On the deployment side, we are continuing to turn innovation into real-world impact through our broad portfolio of European projects.
A new wave of EU projects, including BoostEDIC, CORESPACES, periASTY, WiBiCharge, and Pre-LSDemo while some concluded PLOTO, STREnGth_M, SUM, JULIA and DELPHI.
At the same time, a strong portfolio of flagship projects continues to deliver concrete impact across the mobility ecosystem, including REALLOCATE, METACCAZE, ZEV-UP, INCLUSIVESPACES, CULTURALROAD, EvoRoads, FRODDO, SYNERGIES, EPOWERMOVE, 3DXVERSE, O-CEI, CAMBER, MACBETH, SCUDO, FEDORA, CCAMbassador, CERTAIN, CHORUS, SMARTIN.
Through the ERTICO Academy, we continue to create opportunities for knowledge exchange and capacity building across the intelligent transport community. A proud milestone during this period was the launch of our joint webinar series with the Network of ITS Nationals, focused on building resilient mobility systems. It was an opportunity to frame resilience as our collective capacity to anticipate, absorb, adapt and recover across all modes of transport, bringing together policy, technology and collaboration to strengthen the mobility ecosystem of tomorrow.
This initiative reflects the growing momentum of our partnership with the Network of ITS Nationals, where I see deployment as a key priority, fully aligned with Europe's ambition to deliver greater competitiveness and tangible results. As the backbone of intelligent transport at national level, the Network is an invaluable partner for ERTICO, helping translate European ambitions into practical implementation.
Our collaboration is already delivering tangible results. ERTICO and several ITS National organisations are working together in EU funded projects, while our partnership has expanded through a jointly organised session at the ITS European Congress in Istanbul and speaking opportunities at several national ITS congresses. We have also launched a joint podcast series, beginning with an episode on physical and digital resilience, with further discussions planned after the summer.
I am also thrilled to see that the ERTICO Moonshot Initiative continues to expand its global reach as the City Moonshot approaches its milestone of 300 interviews worldwide, capturing insights on mobility innovation, data governance and sustainable urban development. Building on this foundation, the National Moonshot was launched just before the beginning of this year and it’s a truly joint effort to extend the dialogue to Ministries and National transport authorities, linking local realities with national strategies to foster more coherent and forward-looking mobility policies.
Finally, strong progress is also made with our DataForRoadSafety (DFRS) mobility data space with new partners and increased data sharing. The cooperation with EuroNCAP has given an impetus for new vehicle manufacturers joining the ecosystem. ERTICO’s Innovation Platforms have continued to focus on their core DNA and workplan of the future.
Leading the discussions on the future of intelligent mobility
Thought leadership continues to be part in everything we do, a defining pillar of our mission. As mobility becomes increasingly connected, automated and data-driven, our role extends beyond enabling innovation. We help shape the conversations, provide strategic intelligence and foster the collaborative leadership needed to guide Europe’s mobility ecosystem through profound transformation.
This commitment was reflected in the launch of the third ITS Market Radar report, this time focused on our sectors of vehicle manufacturers, suppliers and the connectivity industry actors. I am pleased that this initiative from 2022 took shape and delivered a comprehensive strategic foresight to map the transitions, trends, and deployment perspectives of ITS in Europe. This third report is the closing one for all our eight sectors
ERTICO continued to provide platforms for strategic exchange among its diverse community through two Partnership Webinars, bringing together Partners, European institutions, regional authorities, industry representatives and mobility experts to explore the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of intelligent mobility. The “From Connection to Impact” Partnership Webinar highlighted the value of the ERTICO ecosystem, showcasing how Partners can engage in collaborative innovation, EU-funded projects, knowledge exchange and communication opportunities to maximise their impact. The “Smart Mobility in Seamless Cities” Thematic Partnership Webinar focused on the transformation of urban mobility, exploring how stronger collaboration, data sharing and integrated approaches can help move from successful pilots towards scalable, user-centred mobility solutions.
These themes continued through the latest episode of the ERTICO podcast series, where industry leaders from Qualcomm, Actia Group and Toyota explored the practical realities of interoperability, connectivity and large-scale deployment.
ERTICO also continues to champion a vision of mobility that is inclusive by design. This is embedded across our Gender Equality Plan (GEP) +, aligned with the EU’s Gender Equality Strategy, positioning diversity and inclusion as drivers of stronger research, better partnerships and more effective innovation.
From shared ambition to concrete delivery: a 35-year journey of collaboration in motion
As we move into the second half of this milestone year, I am more convinced than ever that our 35 years of collective experience provide a strong foundation for the journey ahead. Guided by our Vision 2035 and inspired by the commitment of the ITS community, we will continue to strengthen Europe’s mobility ecosystem by shaping forward-looking policies, advancing trusted Artificial Intelligence, Connected, Cooperative and Automated Mobility, and developing robust Mobility Data Spaces, while accelerating the real-world deployment of intelligent transport solutions that create tangible value for citizens, businesses and public authorities.
We owe our remarkable journey to the outstanding support of our Partners, the Supervisory Board, the Strategy Committee, European institutions, and ITS Nationals, alongside the tireless efforts of the ERTICO team. Backed by 35 years of pioneering innovation and shared expertise, we carry forward a unique legacy of collaboration, with renewed ambition to connect communities, accelerate deployment and create lasting impact for the mobility systems of tomorrow.
I look forward to building on this momentum with all of you in the months ahead, and to coming together for our anniversary celebrations on 9 September.
Joost Vantomme
CEO, ERTICO ITS Europe