Moving towards a Single European Transport Area requires a Digital System Architecture that interlinks and publishes all data elements of transport. Building this Digital Architecture involves open, common standards and interfaces, and an efficient yet secure data ecosystem. This is why Member States are setting up their National Access Points; to facilitate access, facilitating easy discovery, exchange and reuse of transport-related data, to support the provision of EU-wide interoperable travel and traffic services to end users.
What is a National Access Point?
A National Access Point is a first place, a portal where you can find the link to the desired authentic data. However it can take various forms, including e.g. a database, a data warehouse, a data marketplace, a repository, and a register. For these purposes, data is accessible on a non-discriminatory basis, in accordance with the necessary standards for exchange and reuse, under control of compliance rules and certificates, monitored by the national bodies and therefore an essential building block in providing data trust.
The list of the ITS national access points aims to facilitate establishing the links between those intending to be involved in research, in the development or in the provision of such services.
National Access Points Coordination Organisation for Europe (NAPCORE)
The National Access Point Coordination Organisation for Europe (NAPCORE) project was started in 2022, aiming to align the implementation of EU specifications in the Member States. NAPCORE is a Programme Support Action co-funded by the EU under the Connecting Europe Facility.
NAPCORE has been launched as a coordination mechanism to improve interoperability of the National Access Points as the backbone of European mobility data exchange. NAPCORE improves the interoperability of mobility data in Europe with mobility data standard harmonisation and alignment. Also, NAPCORE aims at increasing access to and expanding availability of mobility-related data by coordinated data access and better harmonisation of the European NAPs.
Since July 2025, NAPCORE has continued its successful work, ensuring the long-term coordination of NAPs across Europe. Building on the achievements of the previous phase, such as harmonising data standards like TN-ITS, DATEX II and DATA4PT. It also establishes a solid governance framework. The project now focuses on maintaining and expanding this foundation. The new phase will further enhance interoperability, stakeholder collaboration and the alignment of mobility data initiatives, consolidating NAPCORE’s role as a key enabler of the European mobility data space.
Coordinated by BASt, NAPCORE comprises 59 members and 18 associated partners, whereby several ERTICO Partners are active, including: Vlaamse Overheid, Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom, French Ministry of Ecological Transition, Irish Department of Transport, Italian Ministry of Infrastructures and Transport, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (Netherlands), Portuguese Ministry of Mobility and Transport, Ministry of Transport of the Slovak Republic, Ministry of Infrastructure of Slovenia, DGT, Swedish Transport Administration. The ERTICO platform TN-ITS is a major contributor to many tasks. ERTICO takes the important task lead of the NAPCORE Academy. The Academy provides an internal NAPCORE platform for information and evaluation of all deliverables and an external platform for further dissemination, involving, for example, ERTICO’s ITS Nationals framework. They can act as channels to the local authority and stakeholders for their awareness creation, and training on the subject.
ERTICO’s NAPCORE involvement complements its work and engagement to the EMDS (European Mobility Data Space) projects like ‘deployEMDS’ , focusing on availability and trusted sharing of mobility data. Together, they form the basis for deploying a strong future in the mobility data economy, focusing on all CCAM-related services.
Read more about the National Access Points here (A mechanism for accessing, exchanging and reusing transport-related data under Delegated Acts of the ITS Directive (2010/40/EU)).
Source: European Commission
