The Joint Research Centre (JRC) is the European Commission’s in-house science service which employs scientists to carry out research in order to provide independent scientific advice and support to EU policy.
As the Commission’s in-house science service, the Joint Research Centre’s mission is to provide EU policies with independent, evidence-based scientific and technical support throughout the whole policy cycle. Working in close cooperation with policy Directorates-General, the JRC addresses key societal challenges while stimulating innovation through developing new methods, tools and standards, and sharing its know-how with the Member States, the scientific community and international partners. Its work has a direct impact on the lives of citizens by contributing with its research outcomes to a healthy and safe environment, secure energy supplies, sustainable mobility and consumer health and safety.
The JRC draws on over 50 years of scientific work experience and continually builds its expertise based on its seven scientific institutes, which host specialist laboratories and unique research facilities. They are located in Belgium (Brussels and Geel), Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain.
The JRC collaborates with over a thousand organisations worldwide whose scientists have access to many JRC facilities through various collaboration agreements.
The JRC is a key player in supporting successful investment in knowledge and innovation foreseen by the Horizon 2020 Work Programme, the EU’s programme for research and innovation.
The Institute for Energy and Transport (IET) is one of the seven scientific Institutes of the JRC. The IET is based both in Petten, the Netherlands and in Ispra, Italy, where the Sustainable Transport Unit is located.
The Sustainable Transport Unit focuses on vehicle use, driving patterns, fuel consumption and emissions. Increasing attention is devoted to the development of test procedures and assessment tools for hybrid/electric vehicles for which the existing legislation is not fully adequate. All activities are based on VELA Laboratories, allowing testing all types of vehicles and engines under legislative as well as realistic operation conditions. The VELA lab comprises emission climatic test cells for LDVs, a dynamic test bench for HDVs and a climatic test with a chassis dynamometer for HDVs.
The JRC is located across six different sites within the EU. Brussels is home to the headquarters and also to the Directorate-General, the Scientific Policy and Stakeholder Relations Directorate and the Resources Directorate.
Website: https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/
https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/iet
Country: Italy
