Finland Leads Europe in the First STA Transport Sector Health Index

A new STA-driven benchmark measuring the performance of national transport systems across Europe.

The Smart Transportation Alliance (STA) has launched the Transport Sector Health Index (TSHI), a new evidence-based benchmark designed to assess the overall performance of transport systems across Europe. Built on 16 indicators from official, publicly available sources, the Index evaluates countries across four equally weighted dimensions: Accessibility & Usage, Safety & Resilience, Environmental Performance, and Efficiency & Integration.

The 2026 edition ranks Finland as Europe's best-performing transport system, followed by Denmark and Austria, while revealing that some of Europe's largest economies have significant room for improvement. The findings demonstrate that strong transport performance depends not only on economic size but also on balanced investment across all four dimensions.

Designed as an annual benchmark, the TSHI supports evidence-based decision-making by helping policymakers and transport stakeholders identify strengths, address challenges and monitor progress over time.

Save the Date: STA Annual Conference & Innovation Awards 2026 on 19 November 2026

Join us online to explore the future of EU transport investments.

The 11th STA Annual Conference & Innovation Awards will take place online on Thursday, 19 November 2026 (09:30–11:30 CET) under the theme "From Vision to Projects: Expert Insights to Shape EU Transport Investments in 2028–2034."

Bringing together decision-makers, practitioners and researchers, this year's conference will explore the policies, solutions and strategies shaping the next generation of safer, greener and smarter transport infrastructures. Participants will gain insights into how EU transport investments can deliver greater value during the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework, while discovering the findings of the 2026 STA Transport Sector Health Index and the 2026 STA Expert Perception Tracker, and celebrating excellence through the STA Innovation Awards.

We are pleased to announce that several distinguished speakers have already confirmed their participation, with additional keynote speakers and award recipients to be announced soon.

STA Expert Perception Tracker Finds Demand for Greater Infrastructure Investment While Trust in AI Remains Limited

The findings of the first two editions of this recurrent survey provide valuable insight into emerging priorities across the transport sector.

The first edition, focused on Safety & Resilience, found that although European transport systems are generally perceived as safe, they remain highly vulnerable to extreme weather events. The findings also underscored the importance of preventive maintenance to strengthen the long-term safety, reliability and resilience of transport infrastructures.

The second edition, shifted the focus to Financing & Investment, revealing strong support for hybrid public-private financing models and greater investment in the physical layer of transport infrastructure. While experts recognise the value of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in supporting investment decisions, they express limited trust in AI tools, emphasising that AI should complement, rather than replace, human expertise.

The upcoming editions will explore Sustainability & Construction and Operations & Connectivity, continuing to capture expert perspectives on the challenges and opportunities shaping Europe's transport systems.

Investing in Transport in the New EU Budget 2028–2034: Study Shows How EU Funding Can Deliver Better Value

STA President Delivers Recommendations to the European Parliament's TRAN Committee.

On 5 May 2026, Dr José F. Papí, STA President and CEO of Etelätär Innovation, together with Frida Kühl, STA’s Programmes Coordinator, presented a new study titled "Investing in Transport in the new MFF" to the European Parliament's Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN).

The study provides an evidence-based assessment of how EU transport investments can deliver stronger value for money in the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), aimed at informing upcoming parliamentary discussions and negotiations.

The report analyses the role of key EU funding instruments and highlights the importance of stronger coordination, clearer governance and performance-based investment to maximise the impact of future transport investments.

To further explore these recommendations and their implications for Europe's transport future, read the latest interview with Dr José F. Papí, published by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).

EU-funded KEYSTONE Project Concludes with Successful Final Event at TRA 2026

Celebrating three years of collaboration towards smarter, digital freight transport.

On 19 May 2026, the EU-funded KEYSTONEproject officially concluded with its final event during TRA 2026 in Budapest, bringing together more than 75 participants and featuring insights from its sister project, SETO.

The event was organised by STA, which led the communication and dissemination activities throughout the project's three-year lifetime. Discussions focused on the future of digital enforcement and paperless freight transport, highlighting how interoperable digital solutions can support more efficient, secure and seamless freight transport across Europe.

The conference also showcased the projects'key achievements, lessons learned and recommendations for advancing the digital transformation of transport and logistics.

NEWS OF INTEREST

European Comission welcomes landmark agreement on revised air passenger rights

The political agreement reached by the European Parliament and the Council marks the first major overhaul of the rules in more than 20 years.

The European Commission has welcomed the political agreement reached by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union on the revision of EU air passenger rights. The first major update in more than 20 years, the agreement introduces clearer compensation rules, greater fare transparency, stronger protection for passengers with reduced mobility and disabilities, and improved passenger information. The revised rules will now proceed to formal adoption before entering into force 12 months after publication.