eMobility Technology Platform partners commit to one billion euro of investment

Brussels, 09 Feb 2005

The eMobility Technology Platform, set up to foster wireless research and reinforce Europe's leadership in mobile communications, is enthusiastic about its future impact, having received substantial funding pledges from all involved.

eMobility, which will be officially launched on 18 March, is an EU-wide public-private partnership focusing on European research and development (R&D) efforts and exploiting the future potential of mobile and wireless. The partners will apply for funding for wide-ranging research projects from the EU and major telecoms equipment companies (Nokia, Ericsson, Siemens, Alcatel) and mobile operators (Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, Telefonica).

Speaking at a recent press conference in Helsinki, Nokia's senior vice-president and technology advisor, Yrjo Neuvo, stated that 'in preparation documents, all participants have shown clear commitment to a total investment sum of one billion euro.'

As the eMobility platform explains, the rationale for investing is to ride the next wave of wireless innovation and ensure leadership in mobility in all forms of communication in the EU. What is at stake is a job market of four million people, expected to grow to ten million by 2010. According to the platform, mobile and wireless have an economic impact greater than the Internet, with mobile services currently accounting for three percent of European GDP.

'Over the past decade, European industry has established a clear global industrial and technology leadership in the field of mobile communications,' states the eMobility platform. 'We are now beginning a second phase of growth in the mobile and wireless sector as mobile applications and services are incorporated into business processes and all aspects of daily life. In recognition of this, Asian countries, such as China and Korea, are making substantial efforts to overtake Europe in this strategically crucial domain. The USA dominates in the short range wireless technology sector and invests its defence budget in supporting technological advances. A serious investment in advanced applications based on new technology in Europe is now required to maintain and further build the European mobile and wireless sector.'

'In order to maintain Europe's position in the global market for mobile and wireless systems in the 2010-2015 time horizon, it will be necessary to develop large-scale European approaches to system research and development, and to mobile services and applications in the context of digital convergence,' the platform adds.

The platform has therefore developed a comprehensive research agenda in the mobile and wireless sector to be conducted in the EU and is currently working on a proposal for a Specific Support Action (SSA) under the Information Societies Technologies theme of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) as a bridge towards FP7.

For further information on the eMobility platform, please visit:
http:///www.emobility.eu.org/

CORDIS RTD-NEWS / © European Communities
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