"The project proposal ""European Transport NCP Alliance"" (ETNA) aims at the development and implementation of a coordination mechanism for stimulating closer cooperation among National Contact Points for the theme “Transport” in the Seventh Framework Programme. ETNA will facilitate the improvement of the overall quality of NCP services across Europe in the area of transport – thereby making future calls more accessible for all stakeholders and contributing to an improvement in the average quality of proposals submitted. This will be accomplished by carrying out a series of well-coordinated tasks and measures. The project will benchmark the activities of the Transport NCPs with the goal of identifying best practice and pinpointing existing weaknesses within the NCP network. Identified weaknesses will then be addressed by a multifaceted training programme aiming at efficient eradication of deficits and an overall improvement of the performance of NCPs – on both the individual and network levels. ETNA will also develop effective tools and activities for the entire Transport NCP network aimed at raising awareness about the network and the services it offers as well as increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of efforts to support potential participants in their search for qualified partners. Finally, the project will work to improve contacts and communication with other networks and organisations with the ultimate goal of securing a sustainable flow of information of benefit to the European transport research community. All of these efforts will contribute to achieving a greater coherence of approach to NCP work and to the achievement of a high level of service in all countries participating in the Framework Programme."