Skip to main content

MoU is first step towards an EU intelligent fare management alliance

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed yesterday by representatives of the organisations for technical specifications of VDV KA (Germany), ITSO (UK), AFIMB (France) and Calypso Network Association together with representatives of UITP (International Association of Public Transport).
March 13, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed yesterday by representatives of the organisations for technical specifications of 3837 VDV KA (Germany), 3836 ITSO (UK), AFIMB (France) and 3835 Calypso Network Association together with representatives of UITP (3833 International Association of Public Transport). The MoU presents a platform for cooperation and a way forward to establish a European Alliance for developing European transport ticketing interoperability. It was signed at the IT-TRANS conference organised by UITP and KMK (3834 Karlsruher Messe-und Kongress GmbH).

Yesterday also saw another major step forward in making transport ticketing across parts of Europe simpler and easier for passengers. An EU IFM (integrated fare management) Alliance is proposed to be set up and supported by the EU Commission that creates a trust scheme for public transport smartcards that mirrors the trust schemes in the mobile phone and banking industries.

Once the EU-IFM Alliance has been created and is operational, there are plans for a pilot be created to test the portal, the trust scheme and the necessary compliance of smartcards as they interoperate between transport schemes and across mobile phone networks and with bankcards.

The electronic ticketing issue features strongly in the EU ITS agenda, being included in the white paper on transport strategy, the ITS directive and a priority for DG Move Urban ITS expert group. It also addresses the challenge by EU Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas to be able to access public transportation wherever you are in Europe and to hold all your ticketing in a single smart wallet.

Related Content

  • Central Europe signs up to ITS standards
    May 31, 2013
    Seamless multi-modal traveller information services are becoming reality in the Danube Region. On 15th of March 2013, a Hungarian national holiday of which many people were unaware, unexpected extreme winter weather paralysed Hungary as well as large parts of Slovakia. Several thousand people were stranded on the region’s highways and the railways incurred delays of several hours. Not only did the transport system in the affected regions break down, the information flow to neighbouring countries was very sl
  • New joint report outlines EU and US cooperation on connected vehicle standards
    October 24, 2012
    The United States and the European Union (EU) are working together to foster international connected vehicle research and international harmonisation of the technology and standards necessary for broad deployment of connected vehicle systems.
  • Asecap Days 2025: Call for papers extended
    October 2, 2024
    Speakers have until 15 October to submit for summit in Madrid on 26-28 May 2025
  • European fast charger project launched
    December 18, 2014
    The launch of the European Ten-T European Long-Distance Electric Clean Transport Road Infrastructure Corridor (Electric) which is co-funded by the EU and supports the installation of a corridor of high-quality fast chargers along key European motorways until the end of 2015, aims to accelerate electric vehicle uptake in the involved member states. Its focus is on interoperability, sustainable infrastructure setup and network planning and infrastructure deployment. The aim of the project is be to create a