Research, Policy: Technology platforms no wild goose chase

Migratory birds co-operate closely to reach better climes; the same applies to collaborative research, particularly technology platforms, according to Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik.

Potocnik was addressing a conference on European technology platforms in the Turkish capital Ankara in September. “Geese… fly in a ‘V’ formation, to reduce resistance. They save up to 70% energy flying in this way,” he explained. “This is working together towards a result which benefits all. And this seems a good way of explaining how I think European research can move forward.”
The Commissioner pointed to recent opinion poll results published by Eurobarometer, the EU’s public opinion gauge, which showed that two-thirds of Turks believed that Union-funded research would become more important in the coming years and nearly 70% thought that there should be more co-operation between science and industry.
He told his audience that Commission-backed technology platforms could help achieve both these goals. He added that these platforms were “a concrete [expression] of how collaboration translates into competitiveness”.
Technology platforms were first launched in 2003, when the European Council’s Spring Summit asked the Commission to “create European technology platforms … to strengthen the European Research and Innovation Area”. There are currently 30 technology platforms, covering areas as diverse as plant genomics, food, construction, water supply and sanitation, fuel cell technology and nano-medicine.

Soaring to new heights
Most technology platform have formulated their Strategic Research Agendas, which plot a course for the medium to long term for a particular sector. These SRAs have been instrumental in helping the EU set the priorities for its Seventh Framework Programme for Research (FP7), which has a budget of nearly €55 billion and will run between 2007 and 2013.
The Food for Life Technology Platform is conducting an on-line consultation of its SRA which will end on 1 December. “All this will feed into the creation of [our SRA], due to be published in April 2007. The SRA will define themes and priorities for future research which we strongly suggest be included in the priorities of the Seventh Framework Programme and beyond,” said Peter van Bladeren, the chairman of Food for Life’s board.
“The web consultation process is open, transparent, balanced and inclusive. It ensures that the extensive consultation process now under way across Europe is objective and will ultimately reflect the interests and opportunities of stakeholders and interested experts,” noted Jean Martin, President of CIAA, the Federation of Food and Drink Industries of the European Union.
Under FP7’s Co-operation programme, the ‘Food, agriculture and biotechnology’ priority has nearly €2 billion earmarked for it.
Through their SRAs, technology platforms could help stimulate demand-driven technological innovation, Potocnik has argued. For instance, in many countries, governments are among the biggest purchasers. A particular platform could convince public procurers to commit to purchasing certain cutting-edge technologies that are for the public good, such as environmentally friendly hydrogen buses, or biodegradable materials.
Platforms of relevance to the life science and biotechnology sectors include not only ‘Food for life’, but also ‘Plants for the future’, ‘Sustainable chemistry’, ‘Forestry’, ‘Innovative medicines’, as well as ‘Farm animal breeding and global animal health’.

Source: European Commission
More Information:
Read Commissioner’s full speech
Information on technology platforms
Food for Life SRA [ - 4.80Mb]
Plants for the Future SRA [ - 787Kb]