1.1.  SUSTDEV-2003- CIVITAS-II Testing Implementation and Transition Strategies for Clean Urban Transport Combining Alternative Fuels and Energy Efficient Vehicles with Transport Policy Measures (IP and SSA)

CIVITAS II is supported by the “Sustainable Transport Systems” and the “Sustainable Energy Systems” parts of the 6th Framework Programme on a 50-50 % basis.

A total of 31 proposals for Integrated Projects and 10 proposals for Specific Support Actions were received for the CIVITAS II research area.

A total of seven proposals were excluded on eligibility grounds [four proposals for SSA and one proposal for IP were found out of the scope of the call; one IP proposal was ineligible (RESPONSIBLE) for late submission and another was ineligible for insufficient participation (TEMPI)].

Following the evaluation, seven IP proposals and four SSA proposals were eligible and achieved marks above the thresholds on all criteria, as well as for the overall threshold. 23 proposals did reach one or all the required evaluation thresholds.

ü  SUCCES (IP – 27.5)

ü  VISIT 2008 (IP - 26)

ü  SUMMIT (IP - 25.5)

ü  ACTIV 21 (IP – 25)

ü  SUMO (IP - 24.5)

ü  QUEST (IP – 24)

ü  MOBILE (IP – 24)

ü  GUARD (SSA – 23)

ü  SUCCESS (SSA – 21.5)

ü  CETUS (SSA – 19.5)

ü  AENAS (SSA – 19)

As indicated in the Work Programme, the objective is to retain one SSA proposal and several proposals for IPs.

In this sense, the seven IP proposals above the thresholds (SUCCES, VISIT 2008, SUMMIT, ACTIV 21, SUMO, QUEST and MOBILE) as well as the SSA proposal with the highest score (GUARD) are recommended for funding.

In line with the Work Programme, the seven IP proposals are prepared by ambitious cities aiming to test implementation strategies for innovative and bold integrated packages of transport policy and fuel/vehicle technology measures that are able to maintain or improve the existing modal split in favour of ”alternative modes”.

In particular, the cities in Accession countries will concentrate on transition-strategies for innovative and bold integrated packages of transport policy and fuel/vehicle technology measures that are able to maintain existing modal splits despite the rapid increases of car-ownership.

The SSA proposal retained presents suitable structures for carrying out an independent pan-European cross-site evaluation programme, with full independence but in close co-operation with the demonstrators; an independent monitoring of the progress in the implementation of the demonstrations, as well as developing and implementing a pan-European programme for the valorisation of results, dissemination and awareness raising activities in close co-operation with the demonstration sites.

The projects SUCCESS, CETUS and AENAS were ranked as reserve projects.

Moreover, for reasons of efficiency in the management of projects by the Commission and, as announced in the Work Programme, it was decided to encourage the merge of some of the IP proposals. These merges will be encouraged on the following basis:

-  Proposals with the highest scores, demonstrating the highest level of excellence, should become project coordinators of the “merged projects”;

-  It should be avoided having two cities from the same country in a single “merged project”.

Following these criteria, the Commission intends to explore the following mergers during contract negotiations: projects VISIT 2008 and QUEST - co-ordinated by VISIT 2008, projects SUMMIT and MOBILE - co-ordinated by SUMMIT, and projects ACTIV 21 and SUMO - co-ordinated by ACTIV 21.