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The concept of technology platforms refers to a cooperative approach for the development and implementation of selected technologies. Key objective of TPs is uniting stakeholders around a common vision and approach for the development of the technologies concerned.
‘Stakeholders, led by Industry, getting together to define a Strategic Research Agenda on a number of strategically important issues with high societal relevance where achieving Europe’s future growth, competitiveness and sustainability objectives is dependent upon major research and technological advances in the medium to long term’.
TPs follow a three-stage development:
Stage 1: Stakeholders getting together in order to establish their “vision” for the future development of the field concerned and to set up the technology platform:
· Set up and formal launch
· Stakeholder (main industries, academic community, financial community, NGOs, regulatory bodies, consumers and users, public authorities etc.)
· Structure and governance
· Activities (participants, Community support etc.)
Stage 2: Stakeholders define a Strategic Research Agenda setting out their common views on the necessary medium to long term research, development and demonstration needs for this technology:
· Methodology
· Timing, updating
· Summary content and structure
· Strategic approach (short, medium and long-term research needs, alignment of the SRA to competitiveness and other Community policies, deployment strategy)
· Consensus building, consultation process
· Interests of public authorities (Member States, “Mirror” groups, European Commission, other EU Institutions)
· Budget and financial engineering (estimated costs for implementation of the SRA, public and private contributions, leverage of private investment, potential implementation mechanisms)
· Communication strategy (openness, transparency, communication, documentation)
· Education and training issues
Stage 3: Implementation of the Strategic Research Agenda for which it is anticipated that significant public and private investments will need to be mobilised:
· Operational focus / concrete projects (scale of research effort underway, notable projects already brought within the platform framework)
· Industrial orientation
· Commitment of stakeholders (industry, public authorities, financial community etc.)
· Outlook towards building a long-term public-private partnership
Some examples of technology platforms:
New technologies leading to radical change in a sector:
HYDROGEN AND FUEL CELLS (HFP)
EUROPEAN NANOELECTRONICS INITIATIVE ADVISORY COUNCIL
NANOMEDICINE (Nanobiotechnologies for Medical Applications)
Reconciliation of different policy objectives with a view to sustainable development:
PLANTS FOR THE FUTURE
WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION
PHOTOVOLTAICS
SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY
GLOBAL ANIMAL HEALTH
ROAD TRANSPORT RESEARCH ADVISORY COUNCIL
RAIL RESEARCH ADVISORY COUNCIL
WATERBORNE TP
New technology based public goods or services with high entry barriers, uncertain profitability, but high economic and social potential:
MOBILE AND WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS
INNOVATIVE MEDICINES FOR EUROPE
Ensuring the development of the necessary technology breakthroughs:
EMBEDDED SYSTEMS
ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR AERONAUTICS RESEARCH IN EUROPE
EUROPEAN SPACE TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM
New technologies applied to traditional industrial sectors:
STEEL
FUTURE TEXTILES AND CLOTHING
MANUFUTURE – Future Manufacturing Technologies
CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY
Source: Development of Technology Platforms, Report compiled by a Commission Inter-Service Group on Technology Platforms
http://www.cordis.lu/technology-platforms/