European Technology Platforms
In March 2000 the Lisbon European Council adopted the European Research Area (ERA), as a foundation for a common science and technology policy across the European Union. At the 2002 Barcelona European Council the ambitious target was set for the European Union to increase its global expenditure on research to 3% of GDP - or one and a half times the current level – by 2010, of which 2/3 should be funded by the private sector. While this on the one hand requires the process of coordination of national and European research policy and programs, it also calls for the development of the public -private partnership. European technology platforms are the means to achieve this goal.
European technology platforms will bring together the main stakeholders – industry, research organisations, regulators, user groups, etc. – around key technologies, in order to devise and implement a common strategy for the development, the deployment and the use of these technologies in Europe.
European Technology Platforms are ambitious, demand driven initiatives, set up in areas where Europe's future competitiveness will depend upon major upstream research and technological advances. This can be achieved through public-private partnerships to bring together the efforts of all concerned stakeholders in the creation, implementation and deployment of a common European Strategic Agenda. Technology Platforms are planned to be one of the main pillars of the 7th Community Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development. Their funding, however, will arise from a variety of sources.
Technology Platforms are strategic, demand driven initiatives. Industry will play a leading role in each platform but the efforts of all other key stakeholders must also be mobilised, including the research community, public authorities, standardisation bodies, the financial community, civil society, and consumers. Technology Platforms are objective-oriented, requiring a vision and a strategic research agenda with a detailed action plan.
Further information
The Commission's communication of European technology platforms:
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Frequently asked questions about European technology platforms:
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CORDIS Technology Platforms service:
http://cordis.europa.eu/technology-platforms/
European Technology Platforms in IST on CORDIS:
http://cordis.europa.eu/ist/about/techn-platform.htm
European Technology Platforms in IST
Other European Initiatives to Develop Strategic Research Agendas
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