Europe intensifies support for photonics

Brussels, December 5, 2006

Photonics have been given a firm place in the EU's 7th Framework Programme (FP7). The European Commission plans to create a new unit dedicated to photonics and to increase funding for the enabling technology by more than 40% (90 million Euro) for photonics in the years 2007-08. These were the positive results that the Photonics21 European Technology Platform presented today at its annual meeting in Brussels.

Thierry van der Pyl will head the new Photonics unit as of January 2007. "I would like to see that private public partnership works in research. We will take on the challenge that is not only a matter between the EU and the research stakeholders, but also concerns the member states. A comprehensive strategy in Europe is the key." van der Pyl stated while attending his first annual Photonics21 meeting. The Photonics21 recommendations have two core aspects: higher European and national expenditure on research and development in the photonics, and a pan-European strategic approach.

Rosalie Zobel, Director of DG Information Society and Media of the European Commission, called on Photonics21 to continue to update the strategic research agenda and go into more detail. She underlined the importance of Photonics as a business area and invited Photonics21 to support EU and the community to maintain competitiveness with regard to USA and Asia. Zobel continued that Photonics21 needs to identify and build means needed to develop the photonics area and to develop synergies with national programs and private investment.

Since its constitution in December 2005, the platform has been able to establish a firm foundation for the further development of photonics in Europe. Through the efforts of Photonics21, the topic has been taken up by eight other units within the Directorate-General for Research, and incorporated in areas of great future potential such as the life sciences and manufacturing technology. As one of the first actions by the platform, which is supported by leading European companies in the optical technologies industry, the members called for a doubling of EU research expenditure on photonics and a pan-European strategy instead of a fragmented national approach. In view of the concerted investment strategy being pursued by rival markets in the USA and Asia, the members of Photonics21 warned that a fragmented approach by the European research community would inevitably weaken Europe's ability to compete, while at the same time announcing that they would be increasing their own research spending by 330 million euros per year.

"We are very pleased with the results of our work so far. The boost being given to the area by the EU represents a large step forward, in view of the ongoing process of structural change, and will allow photonics-related topics to become firmly anchored in the 7th Framework Program. The first essential foundations have been laid, namely a photonics community at European level and the appropriate funding resources. The next step is to make use of this newly established basis in order to achieve our planned objectives on a reasonable time scale," declared Alexander von Witzleben, chairman of the executive board of German company Jenoptik AG and president of the Photonics21 Technology Platform. Photonics21 president Alexander von Witzleben explained that the role of photonics in some member states still has considerable potential to grow. Therefore, in 2007, it will be crucial to the community to set up a Mirror Group composed of representatives from each country with responsibility for photonics.

Contact and more information
Secretariat Photonics21
Email: secretariat@photonics21.org
Web: www.photonics21.org