SoCool@EU - Sustainable Organization between Clusters of Optimized Logistics @ Europe

SoCool@EU (Sustainable Organisation between Clusters of Optimised Logistics @ Europe) was launched on 01-01-2012. This 3-year project, funded by the Regions of Knowledge initiative (FP7-REGIONS-2011-1) of the 7th Framework Programme of the European Commission, has a total budget of approximately  2.5 million Euros.

Strategic Objective

SoCool@EU aims to create an open European platform of excellence in the area of supply chain management and logistics in connection with hubs and gateways that will be open for participation by other regional clusters with a logistics and transportation profile after its establishment. Its purpose is to enable research-driven regional clusters throughout Europe to collaborate and exchange experiences for increasing sustainability and competitiveness of logistical services and intermodal transport operations.

Operational Objectives

SoCool@EU operational objectives are the following:

• Fostering trans-national cooperation between research-driven clusters as well as mutual learning between regional actors. The clusters will work in the areas of interconnecting major EU gateways and hubs for sustainable intermodal transport; mitigating local and regional effects of major hub activities and coordinate involved actors; increasing logistics added value without increasing transport and traffic volumes; enhancing environmental and economic efficiency of urban freight transport and logistics.
• Developing and implementing joint action plans at the European level to increase regional economic competitiveness. These action plans will support and drive the creation of the EU policies within intermodal transportation and co-modality and the creation of knowledge that will allow Europe to increase its economic growth without increasing its CO2 emissions.
• Supporting the internationalization of the regional research-driven clusters. SoCool@EU has been set up as a starting point and will evolve into an open European platform of excellence that will contribute to the internationalization of regional clusters and the importance of research.
• Mentoring regions with a less developed research profile. The cluster platform will be created by highly developed regions that will offer mentoring to regions with a less developed research profile, share knowledge and provide access to a network of clusters beyond SoCool@EU to support their capacity building.