Nanotechnology Now - Press Release: Commission welcomes European Parliament's support for new EU public-private research initiatives

Home > Press > Commission welcomes European Parliament's support for new EU public-private research initiatives

Abstract:
Today the European Parliament gave its strong support to Commission proposals to launch the first ever Europe-wide public-private research partnerships. These Joint Technology Initiatives (JTIs) will pool industry, Member States and Commission resources into targeted research programmes. They will create critical mass for European research and innovation, consolidate the European research community in key strategic areas and streamline project funding to bring research results on-stream quicker. The first four, approved by today's parliamentary vote, will be in the areas of miniaturisation technologies, invisible computers, innovative medicines and greener aviation. Following the green light from Member States on 23 November, it will now be possible to go ahead with the ambitious plans to establish these JTIs in 2008.

Commission welcomes European Parliament's support for new EU public-private research initiatives

Europe | Posted on December 11th, 2007

"Europe needs a new approach to research in certain strategic areas to strengthen our competitiveness and well-being," said Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Information Society and Media. "Today's decision allows us to now proceed, hand-in-hand with industry and Member States, with these new Joint Technology Initiatives that are vital for Europe's digital future."

"Research is the engine of innovation and growth", said Janez Potočnik, EU Commissioner for Science and Research. "By bringing together industry and European public research investment in a specific industrial area under one programme, we boost the chances of making a technological breakthrough putting Europe at the forefront of innovation."

Pooling public and private research investment will be critical in the global race for growth and jobs. JTIs target areas where existing funding mechanisms cannot deliver the scale and speed needed to keep Europe at the forefront of global competition. National, European and industrial funding for research can yield significant added value and create incentives for increased private research and development spending.

ARTEMIS will address the invisible computers (embedded systems) that today run all machines from cars, planes and phones, from energy networks and factories to washing machines and televisions (see IP/06/1589). Forecasts predict there will be over 16 billion embedded devices by 2010 and over 40 billion worldwide by 2020. By 2010 these invisible chips will represent 30-40% of the value of new products, in consumer electronics (41%), telecommunications (37%), automotive (36%) and health equipment (33%). ARTEMIS could therefore result in benefits for the EU economy of more than €100 billion over the next ten years.

ENIAC will target the very high level of miniaturisation required for the next generations of nanoelectronics components (see IP/07/864). IWith ENIAC, Europe intends to increase and focus its own research on nanoelectronics to grab a growing share of the €200 billion semiconductor market and of the 5 times larger market of innovative electronics products. This will result in new applications in communication and computing, transport, healthcare and wellness, energy and environmental management, security and safety, and entertainment.

ARTEMIS and ENIAC being industry-led, at least 50% of their budgets are expected to come from industry, €1.7 billion from participating Member States, and €420 and €450 million respectively coming from the Commission.

The Innovative medicine initiative will support the development of new knowledge, tools and methods for quicker, better and safer development of new medicines, as well as boost Europe's competitiveness in the field of biomedical innovation. €2 billion will be invested over seven years, with €1 billion from the community budget to support public research and small companies, and the biopharmaceutical industry matching this amount in kind. Research will focus on bottlenecks in the drug development. (see IP/07/668).

Clean Sky will seek to increase the competitiveness of the European aeronautics industry while reducing the environmental burden of air transport, by reducing emissions and noise. €800 million are earmarked in the EU budget with €800 million from other participants, mainly private companies in the aeronautics sector and their affiliates and subcontractors. (see IP/07/854).

Although there are substantial levels of public funding involved in all these JTIs, these new research initiatives are designed to be flexible and simpler to manage. The initiatives will be implemented through Joint Undertakings, as proposed by the Commission in May, and established by Council Regulations under Community law (see IP/07/668).

Background:

Following proposals by the Commission in May and June 2007, (see IP/07/668), the Competitiveness Council agreed to these proposals on 23 November(see MEMO/07/479). The European Parliament's approval will allow the Council to give its final green light. The first calls for proposals should be launched in spring 2008.

For more information on JTIs see MEMO/07/570
European embedded systems' research:
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/ict/esd/

European nanoelectronics' research:
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/ict/nanoelectronics

European aeronautics research:
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/cooperation/transport_en.html

European health research:
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/cooperation/health_en.html