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Background Information
European Technology Platforms
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Website:
cordis.europa.eu/technology-platforms/home_en.html
Introduction
European Technology Platforms are seen as a means of providing effective public-private
partnerships between the research community, industry and policy makers in order to
deliver the impetus to mobilise the research and innovation effort towards achieving a common goal.
The role of Technology Platforms in stimulating more effective RTD, particularly in the private sector,
can contribute directly to developing the European Research Area
and increasing investment in R&D towards the 3% of GDP target.
In essence, a Technology Platform (TP) is a mechanism to bring together all interested stakeholders to
develop a long-term vision to address a specific challenge, create a coherent, dynamic strategy to
achieve that vision and steer the implementation of an action plan to deliver agreed
programmes of activities and optimise the benefits for all parties. The elaboration and follow-up of
a Strategic Research Agenda form a crucial part of the implementation strategy, to
optimise the contribution of RTD to the process. In achieving its wider goals, a TP should,
in a medium to long term perspective, generate sustainable competitiveness and world
leadership for the EU in the field concerned, by stimulating increased and more effective investment in
R&D, accelerating innovation and eliminating the barriers to the deployment and growth of
new technologies.
Criteria for the establishment of TP
Although a flexible and adaptable concept, TPs will not be an appropriate mechanism in every
sector of the economy and alternative pathways and solutions should always be investigated.
For the credibility of the concept, the setting up of TPs should be limited, in the first instance, to
areas for which clear and significant benefits can be established. The driving forces for initiating a
TP will vary according to the challenge to be addressed and the characteristics of the existing
situation in the sector concerned. Even though traditional, established sectors (e.g. aero, rail, steel)
will have very different characteristics and needs compared to new or emerging sectors
(e.g. hydrogen, photovoltaics, plant genomics, several fields related to nanotechnology),
the common thread should always be the potential strategic importance of the sector
(in terms of major economic, technological or societal challenges), the EU dimension and the
importance of the role of RTD in fully achieving the potential benefits.
The main drivers likely to point towards potential candidates for a TP include:
- the need to maintain (or regain) world leadership and enhance competitiveness in the face
of stiff global competition through the generation of new RTD (e.g. several fields of information
and communication technology, aero, steel);
- the need to develop and assimilate new scientific knowledge and technologies to evolve towards
a paradigm shift (e.g. rail);
- the need to reconcile different policy objectives with a view to a sustainable development of the
sector;
- the need to renew, revive or restructure ailing industry sectors;
- the need to support development of new technology based public goods or
services with high entry barriers, uncertain profitability, but high economic and social potential
(e.g. medicines for paediatric or poverty-related diseases);
- the opportunity to fulfil the potential of new technologies which hold the promise of radical
change in a sector, if developed and deployed appropriately and in time. Global competition
may condition, accelerate or decelerate development and deployment and will ultimately
translate into a struggle for huge (global as well as local) markets, with consequences for the
economy, employment and social welfare (e.g. new applications of information and communication
technology).
Aspects that need to be taken into account in the establishment of selection criteria are:
- the identification of a major economic, technological or societal challenge and the pivotal role that
RTD can play in addressing that challenge;
- the need for the mobilisation and rapprochement of stakeholders to accelerate progress and
optimise the efficient use of resources
- particularly where relevant knowledge and activities are fragmented between
different MSs and regions. In this respect it should be shown that existing instruments
and structures are not capable of achieving the desired outcome;
- the current and projected levels of effort, especially in terms of R&D spending, in relation
to the magnitude of the potential socio-economic benefits and the degree of disconnection between the stakeholders, which could benefit considerably from being brought together around a common vision;
- the maturity of the technology or the sector in question;
- the commitment of key players to contribute to the funding of the
platform and become actively involved in its development and the
execution of its action plan. An initiative coming from a particular sector,
rather than from the Commission, could be a good indication of commitment.
Participation in a Technology Platform
Whilst the precise composition of a TP will vary according to the characteristics of the sector
concerned, the principle of mobilising all interested stakeholders in an open and transparent
process is paramount. The public-private partnership between the research community, industry
and policy makers lies at the heart of a TP, but other actors also need to be drawn into the process
for optimal success. Participation in a TP may include, as appropriate:
- the research community - both public and private;
- industry (including SMEs) - embracing the whole production and supply chain (including component,
equipment and sub-system suppliers and user industries). Actors involved in technology transfer
and the commercial deployment of technologies could also be involved;
- public authorities - both in their roles of regulators and policy makers and promoters and
consumers of technologies. Although policy measures and related initiatives, given their strategic
global dimension, may be launched at the EU level, it is obvious that the national, regional and
local levels will have to be associated when they are important initiators of policy and will bear
the impact of any policy measures taken by the higher level administrations;
- the financial community - banks, including the EIB and EIF, venture capital, insurance etc;
- users and consumers - involving the customer base is crucial to channel the process and optimise
the benefits of a TP. Products without markets are a waste of resources at all levels;
- civil society organisations and NGOs - to ensure that public awareness and understanding of
the technologies and challenges do not lag behind developments and act as a barrier to success.
Expected impact of TPs
As the implementation strategy unfolds, the expected benefits of TPs are manifold. They should:
- raise overall (EU + MS + private) RTD investment and ensuring the consistency of European
efforts in the fields concerned, by showing a common vision and a consistent strategic framework
at EU level for both RTD funding and deployment initiatives;
- support the development and networking of regional clusters in the field and help regions
identify and address challenges and opportunities;
- identify and address obstacles at EU, national and regional levels, for deployment
and facilitate/ accelerate the market penetration of new technologies. The technology
demonstration process will be an important element to facilitate the removal of these obstacles;
- contribute to achieving a coherent and consistent policy and regulatory framework in the EU,
taking account of both risks and benefits;
- make the EU more attractive both for researchers and industrial investment. The TP
will also act as an early warning system to alert policy makers and competitiveness fora to
the changing needs of the sector and the consequences for society, for example in terms of skill
shortages or infrastructure deficiencies;
- increase public awareness, understanding and acceptance of the technologies concerned and
the policy choices necessary to maximise the benefits for all stakeholders.
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European Technology Platforms (TPs):
Technology Platforms
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European Technology Platforms (TPs)
