€5bn electronics partnership launched
The European Commission has launched a €5bn public private partnership – Electronic Components & Systems for European Leadership (ECSEL) – to boost Europe’s electronics design and manufacturing capabilities.
The initiative is the core of the Electronics Strategy for Europe to mobilise €100bn in private investments and create 250,000 jobs in Europe by 2020. At the same time, the Commission received the final recommendations of the Electronics Leaders Group – CEOs from the largest European electronics companies – for the concrete and immediate implementation of the strategy.
Vice-President of the European Commission, responsible for the Digital Agenda, Neelie Kroes said: “We need to join up our efforts if we are to win back and defend a leading position for Europe. I am happy that this partnership is now active – it shows that the EU and member states can work together quickly when there is a clear case for action. The regulation to set it up was approved in less than a year.”
The EU will invest €1.18bn in the ECSEL Joint Technology Initiative (JTI). ECSEL will help industry launch new pilot projects and build on the €1.79bn already invested in existing pilot lines and demonstrators. These projects bring together European manufacturers, technology companies, chip designers, software developers, researchers, and universities at the early stages of product and service development, which will bring research closer to market.
EU funding will be provided through Horizon 2020. 26 EU member states and associated states have lined up to put a similar amount of €1.17bn into ECSEL. Industrial partners will contribute more than €2.34bn.
The first call for proposals will be worth €270m of public support. In addition to pilot projects, it will cover technology developments in electronic chips, in cyber-physical and in smart systems and their integration into application areas for resource efficient transport, improved citizen privacy, sustainable energy generation and affordable health. There is special focus on trust, security and, user friendliness of technology.
