As we transition into the autumn season, energised by the summer months, ERTICO remains steadfast in its commitment to continue the strategic road ahead. Before we embark on the second half of this year, with eyes set on the upcoming ITS World Congress, taking place in Dubai from 16-20 September, we take a moment with ERTICO CEO, Joost Vantomme, to reflect on the achievements to date and some of the forthcoming initiatives planned for the months ahead.
As we journey through the strategic year of 2024, it is my great pleasure to share some of the most significant milestones reached so far, but also offer a glimpse into the future directions of the collaborative efforts with ERTICO Partners and all stakeholders.
Our work environment, following the relocation to our new offices at the beginning of this year, has proven to become a hub of innovation, reflecting our ongoing ‘Inspire Journey’ and the core values: Cooperative, Impactful, Open, Passionate and Visionary. I am pleased to continue this journey and leverage the trust and expertise we built these last years.
Taking a step back to reflect on the first months of this year, ERTICO’s unwavering commitment to innovation could not go unnoticed. Through the expansion of its portfolio of European-funded projects and new members joining the Partnership, as well as reinforced strategic alliances, we are forging a path towards a safer, more resilient and more efficient across the mobility ecosystem.
Among many highlights, summarised in the Annual Review 2023-2024 (pdf) and the Annual Video which was launched at the 34th General Assembly in conjunction with the Strategic Think Tank, we also launched many new activities: our corporate video, and new thought leadership activities ‘Connecting Dots & Talks’ Podcast and Webinar Series ‘Thought Leadership Journeys’. Following a myriad of positive responses to these initiatives, I look forward to continuing the open dialogue and knowledge exchange which is a fundamental building block of our work. I would also like to highlight the next edition of our successful ITS Market Radar report, offering an in-depth analysis of key trends, challenges and future trajectories within the industry.
Innovation is part of our DNA. As we continue to keep pace with the digital transformations and strategic path, we hosted the annual Activity Development Days (ADDs) to discuss and define the strategic priorities in research and deployment stemming from the European Commission’s plans on research and innovation calls for proposals. On this note, I would like to thank the team and all project Partners of this year for their great achievements.
Our presence at major events has also allowed us to continue connecting the dots across the entire ecosystem, such as Intertraffic Amsterdam in parallel with Amsterdam Drone Week, the Mobile World Congress, TRA 2024, EUCAD Symposium, the ITF Summit, Connecting Europe Days, High-Level Dialogue on Connected and Automated Driving and the 4th International ITS Summit in Turkey to mention a few. We are now looking forward to a very full agenda of participation following the ITS World Congress in Dubai, the IRF World Congress, Smart City World EXPO Congress as well as many other thematic panel discussions.
In addition to these active contributions, we also place great importance on continuing our collaboration with our Partners. These past months, we welcomed three new partners: Latvia Post, Cycling Industries Europe, and the Seville City Council – with whom we are proud to organise the 16th ITS European Congress, from 2-4 June 2025.
Alongside these collaborations, we also built upon our advocacy efforts and established stronger cooperation work with the European Commission, ranging from domains such as the revised ITS Directive and the associated ITS Working Programme 2024-2028, as well as the Commission’s Expert Group on Urban Mobility (EGUM) which we took an active role and lead the subgroup on future of mobility. We will continue to deep dive into some of the key trends in innovation and technology, specifically on Artificial Intelligence following the recently adopted European Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act). In alignment with this, we are working on producing a dedicated report to cover the important elements of transport and mobility.
We also continue to enhance our collaboration with other alliances and partnerships, including the Network of ITS Nationals. Beyond our active engagement during the Plenary meeting earlier this year, we also contribute to their Coordination Committee. In one of our recent podcast episodes, we also had the great pleasure of welcoming Olga Landolfi, Secretary General of TTS Italia (ITS National organisation for Italy), to discuss upcoming strategies and initiatives to accelerate the deployment of ITS across Europe.
As we look ahead to the remainder of 2024, I am confident that our collective efforts will continue to drive meaningful and transformative changes within the ITS sector. The achievements we have celebrated so far are a testament to our shared vision and unwavering dedication. At last, I am honoured to have been unanimously reappointed by the Supervisory Board for another three-year term starting from January 2025. Building on these past two and a half years as CEO of ERTICO, I am thankful for the trust and support of ERTICO’s Supervisory Board, Strategy Committee and all Partners, and of course, the team’s hard work and commitment.
Nothing is possible without a strong team and support from the governance bodies and all our Partners. I am particularly proud to continue our HR Inspire journey. The project work and overall scope of ERTICO are growing and growing. I am honoured to have nine new team members and talents joining us since 1st January 2024.
Thank you for your continued commitment to our mission! Stay connected and look out for further updates on our LinkedIn page and the ERTICO Newsletter.
