Commission launches competitiveness platform
The European Commission has launched ALICE, a new platform aimed at increasing the competitiveness in Europe’s logistics industry.
ALICE, the Alliance for Logistics Innovation through Collaboration, will help devise an R&I strategy for the European logistics industry and support the next framework programme, Horizon 2020. The strategy aims to help achieve European competitiveness and sustainability targets.
In comments carried on the European Commission’s website, ALICE Chairman Ralph Keck said: “Efficiency in logistics is a key element for the further growth of industrial activity and trade on a global scale. The ultimate challenge will be to make European industry resilient by a true people, planet and profit oriented logistics and supply chain sector, i.e. a sector that is economically, environmental and socially sustainable contributing to both industry competitiveness and the EU policy targets”.
The scheme will provide external advice and encourage societal engagement with the industry. It will also help implement logistics-related issues in the next framework programme and encourage complementarities and synergies with current European Technology Platforms in the fields of transport and industry.
The European logistics industry contributes an estimated 14% to the EU’s GDP. It’s estimated that a 10%-30% improvement in efficiency could result in a €100-300bnn savings to the European industry.
