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.
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