The Venezuelan Enterprise: Current Situation, Challenges and Opportunities

Gathering information on the private sector in Venezuela by applying the Enterprise Survey. Tasks and responsibilities included engaging with different industry stakeholders to gather contact information from relevant companies, contacting the selected companies to urge them to complete the survey, and providing regular updates on the data collection status.

• Client: Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)
• Category: Economics, Venezuela

Action plan to manage State Owned Enterprises in Venezuela

Developing an action plan to take control and manage State Owned Enterprises in anticipation of a possible change of government. Tasks and responsibilities included the identification of different legal regimes under which companies were and could be controlled, the definition of the scope of companies to be included, and the setting of plan priorities under different time frames.

• Client: National Assembly of Venezuela
• Category: Economics, Venezuela

Identification of investment opportunities in Venezuela

Identifying investment opportunities in key economic sectors like telecommunications, consumer goods, and financial markets. Tasks and responsibilities included mapping relevant companies in each sector, describing the potential market size and financial information of the companies, and identifying useful legal frameworks for investment.

• Client: National Council for the Promotion of Investment (CONAPRI)
• Category: Economics, Venezuela

Travel Demand Modelling

Master thesis project: Estimation of an Activity-Based Model to Evaluate Sustainable Mobility Policies in the Netherlands.

Research on the use of open source software and Onderweg in Nederland (ODiN) travel survey data to calibrate activity-based travel demand models for the Netherlands, with potential applications on the arena of sustainable mobility.

• Institution: Technische Universiteit Delft
• Category: Transport, Modelling, Travel demand, Data analysis

Transport emissions accounting

CountEmissions EU

Assessing policy proposals for a harmonized framework for transport emissions accounting in the EU for all modes of transportation with the goal of making the information available and comparable to enable future transport decarbonization policies. Tasks and responsibilities include aiding in the execution of stakeholder engagement activities and performing data analyses on their results. The policy proposal that stemmed from this impact assessment was included in the greening freight package of laws proposed by the European Commission.

• Client: European Commission (DG MOVE)
• Category: European Union, Transport, Decarbonization

Ship Recycling Regulation

Assessing the suitability of currently existing ship recycling regulations and their effectiveness in reducing the negative environmental and social impacts linked to the recycling of EU-flagged ships. Responsibilities and tasks include modeling and data analysis on current ship recycling and proposed policies.

• Client: European Commission (DG ENV)
• Category: Shipping, Maritime transport, Circular Economy

Train drivers' training and certification

Revision of the Train Drivers' Directive

Revising the certification of train drivers aimed to enhance and facilitate their mobility across the rail network of the EU, as well as easing their assignment to operations in various Member States (for example, cross-border operations). Responsibilities and tasks include interpreting the data collected through stakeholder engagement and assessing the impacts of a subset of policy measures regarding the harmonization of train driver training and certification.

• Client: European Commission (DG MOVE)
• Category: European Union, Railway transport, Cross-border transport

Techno-economic analysis for the energy transition of the EU fisheries and aquaculture sector

Analizing possible routes to achieve decarbonization of the European fisheries and aquaculture sector in the medium and long term in line with European carbon neutrality ambitions, with special attention to the impacts of recent crises on the sector, such as the COVID19 pandemic and the energy crisis. Responsibilities and tasks include planning and executing stakeholder consultation and analyzing the performance and current situation of the European fishing fleet to provide a point of reference to measure the decarbonization options.

• Client: European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA)
• Category: Maritime transport, Fishing, Decarbonization

Readiness for regional integration of trucking in South Asia

Bangladesh, India, and Nepal

Project with the aim to facilitate regional trade and transport through an efficient implementation of the Motor Vehicle Agreement in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. The objective of this project is to support this process providing pre-feasibility and analytical studies to better inform the strategic decisions of the countries involved. Tasks and responsibilities included describing the state of play of the Nepalese trucking industry, the barriers for implementation of the agreement (and regional connectivity), and providing recommendations to address them and build capacity.

• Client: World Bank
• Category: Road transport, Cross-border transport, Asia

Study on the Analysis, Prevention and Management of Air Traffic Controller (ATCO) fatigue

Project with the aim of understanding the effects of the mandatory provisions for Air Traffic Control Operator fatigue introduced in the EU in 2017 and in force since 2020, and provide insights on its efficiency and effectiveness. Responsibilities included qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis, stakeholder engagement and the analysis of the situation of implementation in 2017, 2020, and currently, as well as the current effects of the regulation, also controlling for the possible effects of the COVID-19 pandemic that could distort the data.

• Client: European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)
• Category: Air transport, Safety, Europe

Perspectives for the rolling stock supply in the EU

Assessment of the foreseeable demand and supply of rolling stock up to 2030 and the obstacles to the provision of rolling stock that may potentially hinder the attainment of EU goals in rail transport. The study provides the basis to consider whether or not there is a necessity to incentivise rolling stock supply within the EU and provides policy recommendations relevant to EU decision-making. Responsibilities and tasks included the elaboration of analyses related to the availability of financing mechanisms for the development, purchase, and retrofitting of rolling stock.

• Client: European Parliament (Committee on Transport and Tourism)
• Category: Railway transport, Europe

Support in the implementation of FuelEU Maritime

Provide technical expertise and organizational support to the European Commission for the implementation of the FuelEU Maritime Regulation, especally regarding the preparation of the delegated and implementing acts, as well as managing stakeholders and drafting technical notes and guidance documents along the process.

• Client: European Commission (DG MOVE)
• Category: Shipping, Maritime transport, Decarbonization

Expected impacts of Fit for 55 legislation on connectivity and mobility in Europe

Based on a comprehensive review of eleven legislative texts of the ‘Fit for 55’ package with a transport policy dimension, this study highlights the expected impacts they may produce on connectivity and mobility, encompassing the concepts of efficiency and effectiveness in the ability of passengers and goods to travel within the EU. Tasks and responsibilities included analysis on cross-sectoral legislative texts from the Fit for 55 package and their impacts on connectivity and mobility for passengers and freight, stakeholder consultation, and issuing policy recommendations to the European Parliament.

• Client: European Parliament (TRAN)
• Category: Sustainable transport, decarbonization, connectivity, mobility

Impact assessment for smart and flexible EU crewing rules in inland waterway transport

Crewing requirements in the EU are fragmented across river basins, and is heavily reliant on paper-based documentation that creates administrative burden and is prone to tampering. This impact assessment from DG MOVE considers policy options to address those issues. Task and responsibilities include evidence gathering to clearly delimit the problem, stakeholder engagement, quantitative and qualitative assessment of impacts, and assisting the client in answering emerging technical questions.

• Client: European Commission (DG MOVE)
• Category: Waterborne transport, IWT, future-proofing

Scale up user-Centric and dAta driven soLutions for connEcted Urban Poles (SCALE-UP)

SCALE-UP is an EU-funded Innovation Action (Horizon 2020), focusing on 3 European urban nodes (Madrid, Antwerp, Turku) and exploring options to render them better connected and climate resilient while further developing complex multi-modal transport systems. As part of the project, we are looking into strategies better vertical integration between governance layers at city or Functional Urban Area, national, and TEN-T network levels.

• Client: EU's HORIZON 2020 research and innovation programme
• Category: TEN-T network, urban nodes, governance

Support to the preparation of Social Climate Plans

The Social Climate Fund is set up to support vulnerable households and small businesses in the transition to climate neutrality. To access funds from the SCF, Member States have to draw up Social Climate Plans by mid-2025. These plans should incorporate definitions, indicators and estimates for the affected vulnerable households and microenterprises in both the buildings and transport sectors, as well as outline measures in support of these vulnerable groups. As part of these contract for SG REFORM, we are assisting a number of Member States in drafting their Social Climate Plans. In particular, my work consists in identifying a list of potential measures and investments that can be matched to a Member State's specific conditions to address the undesired impacts on vulnerable groups, while addressing eligibility criteria and applying the Do no Significant Harm principle.

• Client: European Commission (SG REFORM)
• Category: Sustainable mobility, transport decarbonization, energy efficiency, climate finance

Impact of reforms supported by the Recovery and Resilience Facility on Member States in the area of sustainable mobility

Project commissioned by DG ECFIN to analyse the impacts of selected reforms submitted by Member States to the Recovery and Resilience Facility in the area of sustainable mobility. The project involves analysis over the quality of the analytical frameworks used to assess impacts, assessing CO2 impacts, and evaluating the mobilisation of private capital by the selected reforms. Tasks and responsibilities include stakeholder consultation, data analysis, and methodology development

• Client: European Commission (DG ECFIN)
• Category: Sustainable mobility, transport decarbonization, climate finance