"Contributing to the European Research Area in surface transport to strengthen the competitiveness of the European surface transport sector. This will be achieved by using the excellent EURNEX competence to provide research excellence capabilities to European Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs). Furthermore the cooperation with research excellencies from non EU countries will stimulate research that is of mutual interest and strengthen the European as well as non European research excellencies. EURNEX, the European Rail Research Network of Excellence, started on 01 January 2004 and has been granted for 4 years with 6 Mio € within the 6th Framework Programme of EC. It involves 66 research institutes from 20 European countries and the associations of industry and operators UNIFE, UIC and UITP. More than 80 % of the members cover not only the rail research domain but surface transport. EURNEX supports the aims of the EC – to see an interoperable and harmonised European rail system contributing to co-modality and a strong internationally competitive European railway industry – by integrating the fragmented research, sharing knowledge and coordinating current research. The main benefits for the integration of non EU researchers in EURNEX are the scientific exchange on an international level, the training of junior scientists and researchers using the EURNEX assets, the identification of research areas that are of mutual interest, and the solving of problems in the international railway sector with European know how. The main benefits, that SMEs contributing as associated partners in EURNEX can gain, are an overview of the state of the art of the surface transport sector as a whole as well as specific topics, an insight in current research trends, an evaluation of their individual know how (respecting sensitive information), and an access to excellent research capabilities and test facilities."