The European Commission launched the TEMPO programme (for Trans-European intelligent transport systeMs PrOjects) in 2001. Realising the benefits of ITS on a European scale requires a co-ordinated effort involving all key players. Before 2001, individual projects addressed various ITS implementation issues, but with limited co-ordination among the different players. Now, however, the European Commission has launched the TEMPO programme. The aim of ITS is to stimulate a harmonised and synchronised deployment of intelligent transport systems and services on the Trans-European Road Network.

 

Many European member states have implemented advanced road traffic management systems and traffic information services. However these services form a patchwork of fragmented regional and national services.

The European Commission has a vision for deploying ITS throughout Europe; the TEN-T (Trans-European Network for Transport) aims to take implementation forward by establishing appropriate interconnections, interoperability, and accessibility between services, both on long-distance routes and around conurbations, thus removing missing links and promoting pan-European services. To support this vision, the EU supports the development of ITS across all modes of transport by funding and part-funding deployment projects.

Between 1995 and 2000, the European Commission promoted the development of ITS on the trans-European road network by contributing over 125 million Euros to the funding of road traffic management projects. Five of these were large projects operating at a Euro-Regional level and involving several member states. They received annual funding from the European Commission and support from the individual member states concerned.

In addition, several national projects with European significance for the development of the Trans-European Road Network (TERN) received EU funding through this annual programme.