HPC is the engine to power to the massively connected digital economy. Behind the scenes, HPC pervades everyday life: cars; planes; glasses; shampoo; and toothbrushes are designed using HPC. Weather forecasts, movie animations, and new drugs tests all depend on supercomputers. HPC is a critical tool in decision-making; and electricity grids, water supply networks, transportation (for example, truck and flight scheduling), and defence applications all use HPC-based simulation.

The intertwining of HPC with a growing number of industrial applications and scientific domains makes it a key inter-disciplinary tool. Computational aspects are increasingly integrated in training, skill development, and education curricula in many different areas such as bio-chemistry, pharmacology, engineering, entertainment, and finance.

These developments are reflected in the Digital Single Market (DSM) strategy. HPC has a key role to play in the DSM, as a critical tool for better decision-making and innovation in science, industry, and society.

Mastering HPC technologies is vital for Europe’s ability to innovate. The European Commission is therefore working actively to ensure European leadership in the supply and use of HPC systems and services by 2020.

• Article of Leonardo Flores Añover and Augusto Burgueño Arjona from the European Commission "How and why Europe should play a leading role globally in HPC"
• Presentation given at the European Council on 5 November 2015 by Augusto Burgueño Arjona, Head of eInfrastructure Unit, DG Communications Networks, Content and Technologies
• Discours du Président de la Commission européenne, Jean-Claude Juncker, à la conférence franco-allemande sur le numérique à Paris on 27 October 2015.
• Speech by Commissioner Günther Oettinger at ICT2015: "A Digital Single Market: The Key to Europe's Industrial Leadership in the Digital Economy" on 20 October 2015.
• Blog "Why do supercomputers matter for your everyday life?" by Robert Viola, Director-General, DG Communications Networks, Content and Technologies and Robert-Jan Smits, Director-General, DG Research and Innovation of 8 October 2015.

More information on the HPC strategy, work programmes and HPC related news.