Potocnik calls on industry to help identify market needs

European industrial leaders met members of the European Commission on 5 July to discuss the future of the European Technology Platform initiatives. Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik outlined the value that the Commission places on these large-scale initiatives, but asked for leaders to search the road ahead and try to anticipate market needs.

Mr Potocnik addressed the Seminar of Industrial Leaders of European Technology Platforms and Associated Representatives of National Authorities in Brussels. He thanked the delegates for their input so far, especially in writing common visions and setting out Strategic Research Agendas.

He told the assembled delegates that the Technology Platform initiatives had strong support throughout the EU. "I can testify to a great level of commitment to European Technology Platforms right across the European institutions. This is not a surprise to me," he said. "Technology platforms are a competitive advantage for Europe in boosting our natural competitiveness," he said.

The Commissioner explained that he wanted to ensure that Technology Platforms contribute to 'lead market initiatives'. This initiative was first mooted at the Hampton Court summit in October 2005, which led to the expert group report on innovation, led by former Finnish Prime Minister Esko Aho. This report placed an emphasis on developing lead markets.

Technology Platforms were identified as key areas to maintain a competitive advantage for Europe, in "creating and exploiting innovation-friendly markets through the setting of research and innovation strategies at European level", he said.

Commissioner Potocnik identified four areas where Technology Platforms will help:

  • defining standards and high technical levels, as was done with the development of GSM;
  • public procurement to demand innovative products;
  • harmonised regulation to ensure a true single market;
  • intellectual property rights to ensure legal certainty.

"I call upon you, as companies, customers and regulators, to help us identify where the main obstacles and opportunities lie. In other words, you can help us anticipate future market needs and determine what needs to be done to realise these lead markets," he said.

The Commissioner stated that developing lead markets will help to increase the impact of the seventh Framework Programme (FP7), which will launch in early 2007. He also insisted on feedback. "Based on information we will receive from you - and from a wider consultation of stakeholders - the Commission services will identify some areas where we could take action and create conditions that promote technology-based innovation," or market opportunities which can be transformed into lead markets.

"With your guidance and support, Europe can achieve a world-leading position in driving markets for innovative goods and services and excellence in research in new technologies," he said.

For further information on Technology Platforms, please visit:
http://cordis.europa.eu/technology-platforms/home_en.html

Copyright ©European Communities, 2006
Neither the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, nor any person acting on its behalf, is responsible for the use, which might be made of the attached information. The attached information is drawn from the Community R&D Information Service (CORDIS). The CORDIS services are carried on the CORDIS Host in Luxembourg – http://cordis.europa.eu.int. Access to CORDIS is currently available free-of-charge.

Most Popular Now

Using Data and AI to Create Better Healt…

Academic medical centers could transform patient care by adopting principles from learning health systems principles, according to researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine and the University of California, San Diego. In...

AI Medical Receptionist Modernizing Doct…

A virtual medical receptionist named "Cassie," developed through research at Texas A&M University, is transforming the way patients interact with health care providers. Cassie is a digital-human assistant created by Humanate...

Northern Ireland Completes Nationwide Ro…

Go-lives at Western and Southern health and social care trusts mean every pathology service is using the same laboratory information management system; improving efficiency and quality. An ambitious technology project to...

AI Tool Set to Transform Characterisatio…

A multinational team of researchers, co-led by the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, has developed and tested a new AI tool to better characterise the diversity of individual cells within...

AI Detects Hidden Heart Disease Using Ex…

Mass General Brigham researchers have developed a new AI tool in collaboration with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to probe through previously collected CT scans and identify...

Human-AI Collectives Make the Most Accur…

Diagnostic errors are among the most serious problems in everyday medical practice. AI systems - especially large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT-4, Gemini, or Claude 3 - offer new ways...

MHP-Net: A Revolutionary AI Model for Ac…

Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer globally and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Accurate segmentation of liver tumors is a crucial step for the management of the...

Highland Marketing Announced as Official…

Highland Marketing has been named, for the second year running, the official communications partner for HETT Show 2025, the UK's leading digital health conference and exhibition. Taking place 7-8 October...

Groundbreaking TACIT Algorithm Offers Ne…

Researchers at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed a novel algorithm that could provide a revolutionary tool for determining the best options for patients - both in the treatment...