ANAS SPA

Their core work

ANAS SPA is Italy's national road infrastructure operator, responsible for managing, maintaining, and developing over 32,000 km of state roads and motorways. In Horizon 2020, they contributed real-world operational expertise on road asset management, infrastructure lifecycle planning, and the environmental integration of transport networks. Their participation focuses on translating research into practical policy and management frameworks for national road agencies across Europe.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

ANAS initially focused on core engineering concerns — lifecycle-based asset management and infrastructure maintenance optimization, as seen in AM4INFRA (2016-2018). By the second half of their H2020 participation, their focus shifted toward environmental sustainability and long-term strategic planning, with BISON (2021-2023) exploring how transport networks can coexist with biodiversity goals. This trajectory reflects the broader European pivot from pure infrastructure efficiency toward green and climate-resilient transport.

ANAS is moving from traditional road management toward greening transport infrastructure, making them a relevant partner for projects combining mobility with environmental and biodiversity objectives.

How they like to work

ANAS participates exclusively as a consortium partner, never as coordinator — consistent with their role as an end-user and infrastructure operator rather than a research leader. With 61 unique partners across 24 countries from just 3 projects, they operate in large, pan-European consortia typical of CSA-type coordination actions. This makes them accessible and experienced as consortium members, but expect them to contribute operational expertise and real-world validation rather than project management.

Despite only 3 projects, ANAS has built connections with 61 distinct partners across 24 countries, reflecting the broad, multi-country consortia typical of transport coordination actions. Their network spans most of Europe, with no apparent geographic concentration beyond their Italian base.

What sets them apart

ANAS brings something few partners can offer: direct operational authority over a major national road network. While universities and consultancies contribute research, ANAS can validate findings against real infrastructure at scale. For any consortium needing an end-user or deployment partner in road transport, ANAS provides immediate credibility and a path to real-world implementation in Italy.

Highlights from their portfolio

• AM4INFRA
  Largest funded project (€329,875) developing a common European framework for lifecycle asset management across national road agencies.
• BISON
  Represents ANAS's strategic pivot toward environmental sustainability, addressing the underexplored intersection of biodiversity and transport infrastructure.