Increasing competitiveness and resilience of multimodal freight transport and logistics for competitive supply chains

🔗 Website

Funding Presentation

🗓️ Start: 2026-06-04

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🗓️ End: 2026-10-08

Status:

🔓 Open

This innovation action targets more competitive and resilient multimodal freight and logistics, strengthening European supply chains against disruption while improving efficiency and sustainability.

Programme

Horizon Europe — Cluster 5, Mobility (CL5-2026-10)

Funding

~€6.5m per project, 3 projects expected

Focus areas

Multimodal freight and urban logistics — digital coordination, interoperability between modes, and resilience measures for supply chains.

Developing multimodal systems and services for climate-neutral, smart, inclusive, and safe mobility (2026-27)

This Destination includes activities addressing safe and smart mobility services for passengers and goods.

This Destination contributes directly to the Strategic Plan’s Key Strategic Orientations ‘Green transition’, ‘Digital transition’ and ‘A more resilient, competitive, inclusive and democratic Europe’.

In line with the Strategic Plan, the overall expected impact of this Destination is to contribute to the ‘Multimodal systems and services for climate-neutral, smart and safe mobility’.

The main impacts to be generated by topics under this Destination are:

Connected, Cooperative and Automated Mobility (CCAM)

  1. Improved mobility for people and goods in all weather conditions, ensuring safe, shared, inclusive, affordable, attractive, and accessible door-to-door mobility, for private and public transport in mixed traffic and confined areas, as well as open roads.
  2. Seamless integration of CCAM solutions into existing transport ecosystems to ensure interoperability, promote multimodality, enhance traffic safety, catering to diverse user needs and behaviours.
  3. Resilient, climate-neutral, and sustainable mobility solutions with reduced carbon footprints, resulting in greener, less congested, cost-effective, and demand-responsive transport systems.
  4. Increased competitiveness of the transport system using secure and hyper-advanced technologies such as real-time perception, situational awareness, and decision-making systems, based on trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (including Edge and Generative AI), satellite navigation, smart traffic management, and tools for software development for CCAM applications.

Multimodal and sustainable transport systems for passengers and goods

  1. Enhanced resilience of transport networks through improved operational efficiency for both passenger and intermodal freight transport, future-proofed mobility systems supporting EU competitiveness while ensuring affordable and accessible transport for all passengers.

Safety and resilience

  1. Drastic reduction in road fatalities for all types of users, especially on rural areas
  2. Improved resilience of the public transport system via the use of AI
  3. Advanced technologies and methods for improved reliability in complex environments for aviation

Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in both Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) and Innovation Actions (IAs) falling under this destination. For additional information please see “Restrictions on the participation of legal entities established in China” found in General Annex B of the General Annexes.

Who can apply

Multi-beneficiary consortia of at least three independent legal entities from three different EU Member States or Associated Countries.

How to apply

Submit through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal before the cut-off date, following the official templates and call documents.

This Horizon Europe CL5-2026 call supports multimodal freight logistics EU innovation to strengthen European supply chain resilience. Under Cluster 5 (Mobility), up to €6.5 million is available per project, with three projects expected to be funded. The call targets digital coordination, interoperability between transport modes, and sustainability improvements across EU freight networks. These multimodal freight logistics EU solutions will strengthen competitiveness and resilience of supply chains across European member states.

Horizon Europe multimodal freight logistics funding programme banner
Horizon Europe Cluster 5 — Multimodal Freight Logistics and Supply Chain Resilience (CL5-2026-10)

Key Focus Areas for Multimodal Freight Logistics

The call addresses three core priorities: (1) improving urban multimodal freight logistics through smart digital coordination systems, (2) enhancing interoperability across road, rail, and maritime transport modes, and (3) building resilient, climate-neutral supply chains for EU competitiveness. Consortia must include at least three independent legal entities from three different EU Member States or Associated Countries. Submit applications via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal before the October 2026 deadline.

Join a UTA Consortium for This Horizon Europe Call

The Urban Technology Alliance connects cities, innovators, and research institutions to build competitive consortia for Horizon Europe calls. UTA member cities and innovators active in smart mobility and urban logistics are well-positioned to contribute to this multimodal freight logistics call. Explore UTA city members and innovator profiles to identify potential consortium partners.

Projects funded under this call are expected to demonstrate measurable impact on EU freight system efficiency, safety, and environmental performance. Eligible activities include research, piloting, and deployment of digital logistics platforms, AI-based route optimisation, and cross-border freight data sharing solutions. The call aligns with the European Green Deal and the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, supporting the shift toward low-emission multimodal EU freight networks. UTA invites cities, innovators, and research partners to express interest and join a consortium. Explore all UTA funding opportunities or contact us to discuss collaboration.