ITEA ARTEMIS-IA high-level vision 2030 officially presented to EC Vice-President Neelie Kroes

In this picture (from left to right): Fopke Klok (ITEA Office director), Heinrich Daembkes (President ARTEMIS-IA), Neelie Kroes (Vice-president European Commission), Rudolf Haggenmüller (ITEA Chairman), Jan Lohstroh (Secretary General ARTEMIS-IA)

On 13 March, Neelie Kroes, Vice-president of the European Commission, welcomed a delegation representing industry in the ARTEMIS Industry Association and the EUREKA Cluster ITEA. The leaders of the delegation, Heinrich Daembkes, President of the ARTEMIS Industry Association, and Rudolf Haggenmüller, Chairman of ITEA, officially presented the ITEA ARTEMIS-IA high-level vision 2030 which was revealed during the ARTEMIS & ITEA Co-summit in December 2013.

The key message delivered was that European industry needs a balanced approach to electronics innovation and software innovation. A recent statement by the German automotive manufacturer BMW declared that “90% of the innovation today is coming from electronics and software“. It is the right combination of intelligent electronics and innovative software that keeps European industry in the lead in the global competitive arena.

The message and the Vision 2030 report was well received by Ms Kroes and her supporting team including Khalil Rouhana, director Components and Systems. Ms Kroes confirmed that Digital Technology is vital to employment in Europe. In answer to a question from Ms Kroes about concrete proposals, Rudolf Haggenmüller and Heinrich Daembkes stressed that she should promote software innovation with the same passion as electronics innovation. Ms Kroes welcomed the enthusiasm and this sparked an open discussion on how to concretely support software innovation. As one of the conclusions from this discussion, the intention was expressed of organising a high-level working session on concrete challenges for Digital Technology identified by the actual end users and customers, for example hospitals or smart cities. The list of challenges identified by this proposed working session will guide Cooperative Research & Innovation programmes like H2020, ECSEL Joint Undertaking and EUREKA Clusters, like ITEA. For Digital Innovation the ARTEMIS Industry Association and the EUREKA Cluster ITEA will be instrumental to mobilising Europe’s key players as users or suppliers of Digital Technology.

Read the full press release.