Europe's IT research and investments in information and communication technologies (ICTs) are lagging behind those of regions such as the US and Japan. Ironically, the EU produces almost one third of the world's scientific knowledge, but research in the sector accounts for only a quarter of its overall research effort, a dichotomy that must be changed if Europe is to develop a leading position in IT research.
The conference called on EU Member States to double their investments in high-risk IT research in order to catch up with the US, Japan and China, all of whom are investing hugely in this area.
"Europe must be inventive and bold - especially in times of crisis," said Viviane Reding, the European Commissioner for Information Society and Media, at the launch of the conference. "Research seeds innovation which is a key factor for Europe's long-term global competitiveness. Scientific and revolutionary breakthroughs constitute enormous opportunities and we must bring the best brains together to make the most of them."
Examples of futuristic European IT research projects include a thought navigated wheelchair that will be able to interpret brain signals, thereby helping thousands of disabled EU citizens to greater mobility, and computers that can work faster than the speed of light to process unlimited amounts of information, thanks to a breakthrough in quantum technology research - an area where Europe is already leading the way.
As well as increasing its research investments, the Commission also plans to launch at least two research projects by 2013 in areas such as the development of biocomputers. Along with the increased funding, these new initiatives will have many positive effects, such as helping young scientists and researchers to participate in high-risk research, and allowing IT-focused SMEs to extend their research horizons and quickly turn research results into commercial opportunities.
Commissioner Reding said, "Combining efforts of the 27 EU countries and stepping up cooperation with global partners is essential for Europe to take the lead in future information technologies that can yield radically new solutions for European citizens in domains such as health, climate change, the ageing population, sustainable development or security."
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