The EC's ambitious new Industrial Strategy names Photonics among a list of KETs which are vital to the industrial transformation of Europe by 2030.
Photonics and a whole host of Key Enabling Technologies (KETs) have been identified as drivers of the industrial and digital transformations of Europe in the European Commission's new Industrial Strategy for Europe.
KETs will have a key role to play in helping Europe build a more circular economy, become a climate-neutral continent, uphold a global level playing field and develop a deeper and more digital single market.
The ambitious strategic document sets out plans for the future of Europe's digital transformation, security and technological sovereignty by 2030.
Intending to help Europe's industry lead the transitions towards climate neutrality and digital leadership, the strategy sets out its support for the development of photonics as a Key Enabling Technology.
The announcement in the strategy comes as a boost for the European photonics industry which is estimated to be worth €70 billion, directly employs over 300,000 people and is the second-highest manufacturer of photonics equipment globally.
Photonics21 Executive Board member Jean-Luc Beylat said: "The entire European photonics community and its partners welcome the continued support for photonics as a Key Enabling Technology in the European Commission's new Industrial Strategy for Europe."
"With the likelihood of photonics production tripling to more than €200 billion in Europe by 2030, continued support as a dedicated KET means that light technologies can provide key components to future developments in driverless cars, healthcare, food production, and Industry 4.0 and help Europe become a carbon-neutral continent."
Other KETs mentioned are robotics, microelectronics, high-performance computing and data cloud infrastructure, blockchain, quantum technologies, industrial biotechnology, biomedicine, nanotechnologies, pharmaceuticals, and advanced materials.