European strategy to ensure industrial leadership in advanced materials

For those interested in advanced materials (for example semiconductors), the European Commission sets out a European strategy to ensure industrial leadership in advanced materials.

Brief summary:

The demand for advanced materials is expected to significantly increase in the coming years, for example in semiconductors. Advanced materials are an important factor for the competitiveness of European industries and are crucial building blocks for the EU’s resilience and open strategic autonomy by:

(i) accelerate its research and technology development in advanced materials
(ii) scale up its innovation and manufacturing capacity
(iii) accelerate the industrial uptake of advanced materials

This requires the creation of an environment that builds on existing strengths, retains research and innovation investments and production in the EU, and drives competitiveness, resilience and growth in advanced materials and manufacturing. It is therefore necessary to create a dynamic, secure and inclusive ecosystem for advanced materials in Europe that both ensures leadership in research and fast-tracks innovations to the single market.

Challenges for inclusive innovation ecosystems for advanced materials include:

  • Fragmentation of the research and innovation (R&I) ecosystem
  • Private investments are not in proportion to increasing needs
  • A lack of progress in circularity and material efficiency
  • Long innovation processes and an insufficient level of digitalisation
  • Disconnect between innovative research and uptake in industrial applications and processes
  • A lack of testing and experimentation facilities
  • Need for harmonised standards
  • A lack of skills

Some actions to accelerate the deployment of clean technologies and deep tech innovation in Europe, achieving EU resilience and open strategic autonomy in critical technologies include:

(i) foster innovation and manufacturing capacity on advanced materials
(ii) strengthen the European scientific and industrial base
(iii) reduce dependencies on critical resources and (iv) seek synergies on activities related to advanced materials across all sectors

The European Commission has therefore proposed a comprehensive strategy aimed at establishing EU leadership in the field of advanced materials, which are crucial for the green and digital transition. The strategy anticipates an increasing demand for these materials in various applications, including renewable energy and semiconductors.

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