Dublin’s nanotech forum
The EuroNanoForum 2013 conference is the last major conference held under the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which will rotate to Lithuania at the beginning of July. The conference is one of the largest held under the Presidency, with 1,200 delegates attending from 50 countries around the world.
Although planned to address attendees in person, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, spoke to delegates in a video message as she attended crucial talks on Horizon 2020 in Brussels. Ireland has cited a deal on the next research and innovation framework programme as key goal of its Presidency.
Speaking to delegates in a pre-recorded message, the Commissioner began by outlining the current state of Horizon 2020 negotiations.
“We are at a critical stage in finalising the details of Horizon 2020, the EU’s multiannual framework programme for research and innovation, and it is these discussions between the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament and the European Commission, the so called trialogue, which require my presence in Brussels today.
“Nevertheless, please let me to welcome you to Ireland…a country that has shared the global economic downturn but that has started on a remarkable recovery and which is ‘open for business’, as you will see during your stay over the next three days.
“Ireland believes in science and technological development as a means to promote its future. Stability, growth and jobs underpin technological development and in my portfolio of research, innovation and science, I firmly believe that they represent the key to European recovery.”
Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology will receive funding under the Industrial Leadership pillar of Horizon 2020. The Commission’s proposed funding allocation is an estimated €3.7bn. Geoghegan-Quinn outlined the importance the EU institution is placing on this Key Enabling Technology.
“During the next few days, EuroNanoForum 2013 will showcase a key example of new technologies, nanotechnology, in which Europe has a leading interest and leading position. Indeed, in Horizon 2020, the Commission has identified nanotechnologies as one of the EU’s Key Enabling Technologies, or KETs as we call them. Horizon 2020 proposals to put KETs in a prominent position through an integrated approach with strong support for crosscutting KET activities, including larger demonstration and pipeline projects for promoting innovation and the deployment of KET products and processes in the marketplace.
“Europe recognises that nanotechnology developments are made as part of a global community and I welcome the many speakers from beyond Europe, including the United States, China, Brazil, Korea, Russia, Japan and several other countries,” the Commissioner said.
EuroNanoForum 2013
The conference will explore nanotechnology and its application in ‘environment, energy and transport’; ‘life sciences’; ‘industrial applications and nanoengineering’. Crossing the ‘valley of death’ and how to encourage co-operation within the industry will also be discussed.
“I am confident that EuroNanoForum 2013 will show prominent examples of our achievements in terms of recent scientific developments and most importantly how these will benefit our society,” Geoghegan-Quinn said.
“My sincerest thanks go to Enterprise Ireland and to the rest of the organisers that made EuroNanoForum 2013 a prominent event of the Irish Presidency.”
Pan European Networks is attending EuroNanoForum 2013 as an official media partner of the conference.
Máire Geoghegan-Quinn
