European Technology Platforms (ETPs) are industry-led stakeholder fora recognised by the European Commission as key actors in driving innovation, knowledge transfer and European competitiveness.
ETPs develop research and innovation agendas and roadmaps for action at EU and national level to be supported by both private and public funding. They mobilise stakeholders to deliver on agreed priorities and share information across the EU.
By working effectively together, they also help deliver solutions to major challenges of key concern to citizens such as the ageing society, the environment and food and energy security.
ETPs are independent and self-financing entities. They conduct their activities in a transparent manner and are open to new members.
What do they do?
ETPs have a strategy, mobilisation and dissemination function. In order to fulfil their role, their main activities encompass:
- developing industry-focused strategic research and innovation agendas including technology roadmaps and implementation plans;
- encouraging industry participation in Horizon 2020, the EU’s framework programme for research and innovation, and cooperating with networks in Member States;
- fostering networking opportunities with other ETPs and other partners along the value chain to address cross-sectoral challenges and promote the move towards more open models of innovation;
- identifying opportunities for international cooperation;
- acting as one of the channels of external advice for the programming and implementation of Horizon 2020; notably, ETPs have been a key driving force behind the launch of high profile public-private partnerships under the programme.
What is the Commission’s role?
Commission engagement with the ETPs takes a number of forms:
- provision of a central contact point with overall coordination responsibility in DG Research and Innovation
- a dedicated contact point for individual ETPs in the relevant Directorate-General
- participation in ETP-organised events
- consultation on implementation aspects of Horizon 2020
- organisation of cross-ETP workshops
Individual ETPs
text taken from the European Commission website.
