Theme of Workshop: Advanced connectivity: the essential pillar for European Competitiveness and Sovereignty
Recent reports (Draghi, Leta, Heitor) have highlighted that Europe stands at a critical technological, innovation and business crossroads. They have notably outlined the critical role that Digital technologies play for the broader European policy objectives such as competitiveness, sovereignty, and security in a changing geopolitical context. These reports have also outlined the key role of connectivity infrastructures within the overall digital ecosystem, which can also have a catalytic effect on related key strategic sectors including microelectronics, telco cloud, devices, and AI.
This event is a part of the NetworldEurope and 6G-IA preparatory activities for the upcoming EU Framework Programme 10 (FP10) in relation to network and related technologies. It brought together some key stakeholders, researchers, policymakers, and industry representatives to discuss:
- how the changing policy environment may affect strategic priorities,
- how collaboration in upstream R&D&I may be reshaped and structured &
- how to optimize downstream take up and impact in the context of the overall digital objectives.
The starting point for the discussion is based on insights from European 6G-related activities, particularly within the SNS JU framework, which underscore the potential of future smart networks and services to serve as multidisciplinary technology and service aggregators — driving European competitiveness even further. However, to realize this potential, the European R&D&I and take up ecosystem must address existing challenges such as fragmented funding instruments, limited monetization of innovations, and long deployment timelines for advanced solutions.
The event provided a platform to assess Europe’s current position and share different views on:
- how an advanced connectivity and service infrastructure will contribute to the overall European policy objectives,
- what are the key focus areas for future research and innovation,
- identify strategies to accelerate take up, and
- to facilitate early engagement with FP10 objectives.
Participants had the opportunity to exchange ideas, and contribute to shaping Europe’s future research and deployment roadmaps in the strategic sector of advanced connectivity.
New paper from the 6G IA:
The 6G IA used the occasion of this event to release their New Paper on the Long term perspective for Smart Networks and Services in Europe:
Workshop Agenda:
| Presentation Title | Speaker |
|---|---|
| (Click on presentation to download slides) | |
| Welcome/Scope of the event | Rui Aguiar, Chairman Networld Europe |
| Opening Statement | Colin Willcock, 6G-IA Chairman & Vice-Chair SNS JU |
| Opening Statement | Thibaut Kleiner, Director of Future Networks DG-CNECT & Chairman SNS JU |
| The competitiveness Compass and key findings from the Draghi Report | Dimitri Lorenzani, Task Force EU’s Future Competitiveness in the SecGen -EC |
| MS representative | Ms Saara Reinimaki, Director of Networks Governance and Space Unit from the Networks and Services Department, Ministry of Transport and Communications, Finnish Government |
| EC Representative | Miguel Gonzalez-Sancho, Head of Unit E1, DG-CNECT |
| A Future Europe with a reinforced technology leadership | Colin Willcock, 6G-IA Chairman, Vice-Chair SNS JU |
| Panel discussion with speakers | Moderator: Mario Campolargo |
| SNS JU - The road so far... | Erzsebet Fitori, Executive Director, SNS JU |
| Improving European Technology Leadership | Rui Aguiar, Chairman Networld Europe |
| Ideas for the next framework | Bernard Barani, Senior External Consultant, 6G-IA |
| Open discussion | Moderator: Alex Kaloxylos, Executive Director 6G-IA |
| Closing remarks | Rui Aguiar, Chairman Networld Europe Colin Willcock, 6G-IA Chairman & Vice-Chair SNS JU |
