Interview with 2 national officials working on the intergovernmental Eureka technological research initiative, “The two programmes, ARTEMIS and ITEA 2, are complementary”
Europolitics - Nr. 3398, 23 October 2007
pdf-document - 706 kB
By Nathalie Vandystadt
Philippe Loward is the Austrian coordinator of the programmes funded by Eureka, the intergovernmental initiative born in 1985 to boost the competitiveness of its member states – currently 38 European countries – through technological innovation. Otto Peperna manages the international unit for technologies and innovation within the Austrian ministry of economy and employment. A key programme of Eureka, ITEA 2, concerns embedded technologies, as does the future joint technology initiative, ARTEMIS, which the EU is due to launch in early 2008. The second day of the 2007 ITEA 2 symposium took place on 19 October in Berlin (see Europolitics 3396).
Otto Peperna and Philippe Loward
What are the major challenges for European industry in terms of information technology and communication (ITC)?
Otto Peperna (OP): Over the last five years, we have lost several parts of large European industries, which have moved to Asia. Now, Europe needs to compensate. The software industry represents a force for the European economy. That is why action must be taken in favour of ITC. Though production has moved to China or India, we are trying to keep research activities in Europe as much as possible.
What is Eureka’s mission?
OP: Eureka is very much orientated toward industry and the market in its R&D activities. It complements the EU’s seventh research and development framework programme. Above all, it brings together “clusters”, like ITEA 2, with great success. At present, we are faced with a new situation with ARTEMIS. We need a very clear, very well-defined vision so that European candidates can submit their proposals either to ARTEMIS or to the European clusters.
Is it wise to have so many projects in Europe which compete for the same national funds?
Philippe Loward (PL): That’s exactly why we need a clear, well defined vision. We must avoid duplications. The two programmes – ARTEMIS and ITEA 2 – are complementary and we have to make the best of this complementariness. The difference between the two programmes is in the strategy research agenda, updated by industry. It is well defined. Of course, we deal with the same subjects, but the approaches are different. ITEA 2 must take into account the creation of ARTEMIS, but ARTEMIS must also be adapted to the existence of ITEA 2. The explanation is very simple: ARTEMIS works on the long term, and we work on the short term. And as we have the same stakeholders, they must be attentive to what is done and where.
Are you seeking to spread your activities beyond European countries?
OP: We are, of course, trying to cooperate with other countries, but Eureka relies on particular types of procedure between third parties and member states. There are therefore no particular projects related to China or other countries. But it is, of course, possible to have projects which involve these countries.
ITEA 2 is complaining of “synchronisation” problems between participating countries at the project funding stage…
OP: I’m aware of this. But we have to keep in mind that it is a question of national money. ITEA 2 member states are very interested in the final decision which will be taken in favour of projects. But this debate primarily concerns joint technological initiatives at the EU level. The situation with ITEA 2 is quite clear. We have a programme. We have a road map. We are going to have a third call for tenders.
What message would you send to SMEs that want to participate in your projects?
PL: They must be active, innovative and audacious.
Does Eurostars (a fund for European SMEs active in research, proposed by the European Commission together with Eureka, in September last year) mark a turning point in your relations with the EU?
PL: Eurostars is the first visible sign of cooperation between the EU and Eureka, after a long period of discussion without action. We are now moving from competition to collaboration.
Background
ITEA 2 and ARTEMIS are specialised in embedded systems. These invisible technologies play a very specific role with larger mechanisms, giving them “intelligence” (see Europolitics 3201). Forecasts estimate that there will be some 16 billion embedded systems by 2010, and more than 40 billion by 2020, according to the Commission. Certain sectors depend on them: aerospace, automobile, robotics, telecommunications, consumer electronics and sanitary and medical equipment.
