Key Technologies for Europe

Expert Group

In 2005 the European Commission (DG Research, the "Science and technology foresight unit") has supported an Expert Group that was looking at the issues of Key Technologies for Europe (at the horizon 2015/2020).

The "Key Technologies" Expert Group has approached the future of several key technologies which are all crucial for Europe's future. These research and technology fields are: Biotechnology, nanotechnology, information technologies, communication technologies, transport technologies, energy technologies, environmental research, social sciences and humanities, manufacturing and materials technologies, health research, agricultural research, cognitive sciences, safety technologies, complexity research and systemic, research in the services sector.

The group has looked at the issues through European perspectives, and has been guided by a framework driven by the possible opportunities and threats of each technology for a European leading position (referring to the Lisbon Agenda).

The experts reports on each key research or technology domains are now available for downloading:

Agri-Food Industries & Rural Economies' Competitiveness & Sustainability - the Key Role of Knowledge(PDF - 91 KB)
Biotechnology(PDF - 1.29 MB)
Cognitive Science(PDF - 377 KB)
Communications(PDF - 743 KB)
Complexity and systemics(PDF - 1 MB)
Energy(PDF - 268 KB)
Environmental technologies(PDF - 714 KB)
Healthcare(PDF - 197 KB)
Information Technology(PDF - 265 KB)
Nanotechnology(PDF - 496 KB)
Manufacturing(PDF - 557 KB)
Safety and security(PDF - 154 KB)
Services(PDF - 986 KB)
Social sciences and humanities(PDF - 72 KB)
Transports(PDF - 3.05 MB)(in French)

A contribution on "Towards a sustainable Knowledge(PDF - 275 KB)" has also been produced to feed the foresight discussions.

The final report ( PDF - 712 KB) is now available

A final conference during which the draft final report was to be debated was opened by Mr. J. Potčnik, Commissioner responsible for Research (see dedicated page).