A consultation which provides an opportunity to input into the directions for Future and Emerging Technologies (FET, currently funded under the FP7 ICT theme) has been launched by the European Commission.
The FET Unit of the Commission’s DG Connect has launched a consultation calling for views on what the key scientific and technological challenges are that Europe faces in the next 20 years. Describing themselves as being in ‘listening mode’, the Commission asks the following questions:
- Which areas of science and technology hold the keys to the future prosperity of our citizens and our societies?;
- What are the questions and challenges around which science and technology should be mobilised to create a better future for all of us?; and
- What are the big new ideas and paradigms that will put Europe on a new road towards future technological competitiveness?
The objective of FET research is to foster radically new technologies by exploring novel and high-risk ideas building on scientific foundations. The Commission is looking for research directions which are more general than an idea for a single research project and the results will be used as input for identifying future FET Proactive Challenges and Topics.
Although the consultation is being run by DG Connect, which currently manages the Information Communication Technologies (ICT) theme under FP7 Co-operation, UKRO understands that its scope is broader than just ICT and is designed to cover all potential future and emerging technologies, in line with the proposed structure of Horizon 2020.
The consultation is open until 30 November 2012. All ideas received will be published on the website (see below) together with a list of contributors. During 2013 the results will be discussed and consolidated through an online forum and targeted workshops.