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EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY
PLATFORM
Plants for the Future
The European Technology Platform (ETP)
'Plants for the Future' is a stakeholder forum on plant genomics and
biotechnology that was initiated by the European Commission in 2003. It
is coordinated by EPSO, and has members from industry,
academia and the agricultural sector. It provides a short-, medium- and
long-term vision for Europe’s plant agricultural sector and sets out a
consensus on the research needed to fulfill the vision.
The
Plant ETP
was officially launched by Commissioner Philippe Busquin in June 2004
with the publication of its
vision paper '2025, a European vision for plant genomics and
biotechnology'. This vision was signed by 21 stakeholder organisations
representing academia, farmers, industry and consumers.
In
July 2005, the Plant ETP launched its "Stakeholders
Proposal for a Strategic Research Agenda"
at a
press conference
in Strasbourg
with Janez Potočnik,
European Commissioner for Science and Research, and Giles
Chichester, at the time chair of the European Parliament's committee on
industry, research and energy.
The
Plant ETP then
initiated
consultations in
19 European Countries, with the mirror
group at the European Parliament, with members of the European
Commission and via an online invitation for comments.
Based on the
numerous inputs of the consultation, the Plant
ETP produced a final
Strategic Research Agenda,
launched at the European
Parliament in June 2007.
The SRA identifies five
challenges for Europe’s society and economy to which the
plant sector can contribute:
- Healthy, safe and
sufficient food and feed
- Plant-based products –
chemical and bioenergy
- Sustainable agriculture,
forestry and landscape
- Vibrant and competitive
basic research
- Consumer choice and
governance
In addition to the work on the SRA, the Plant ETP was invited to provide input to the FP7 first Work
programme which was published on the 22 dec last year. For
information on FP7
click here or visit
DG Research’s
website. The Platform is continuing to give input to coming
Work programmes.
In August 2007 the Plant ETP was converted into a membership based ETP, still consisting of representatives from the three stakeholder groups. Each member has made a commitment to contributes financially towards the budget of the Plant ETP for the period 2008-2010.
The next step forward
The next step in the strategic process initiated in 2003 is the
implementation phase. During 2008-2010 the Plant ETP will work with a focus on promoting and advocating strategic research and internationally competitive research. Education, communication and innovation embracement (including general policy statements) will be complementary tasks with second priority.
Plants for the Future will use various instruments
at European and national level in order to implement the SRA, integrate
it into national and European research strategies, promote the
development of national platforms, and enhance the public profile of
plant sciences. In addition, instruments such as the lead
market initiative, the European Institute for Technology (EIT) and the
possibility to use structural and social funds, will be considered.
To accomplish this, Plants for the Future will work in a wider web of
collaboration with the seven other technology platforms related to the
knowledge-based bio-economy as shown in the graphic below. In addition,
Plants for the Future is developing closer collaboration with related
European Research Area networks, such as the ERA-NET on Plant Genomics, Plant KBBE,
and more distant technology platforms like ‘Manufuture’ and ‘Innovative
Medicine’.
For further information and opportunities to get involved,
please contact the Secretariat via phone +32 2 213 62 62 or e-mail
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