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Belgium:Technology platform to boost competitiveness
of the European textiles and clothing industry,
says Potocnik |
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2005-1-5
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The European textile and clothing industry launched the ‘European Technology Platform for the Future of Textiles and Clothing’ represented by the European Apparel and Textile Organisation (Euratex).
The launch took place on 17 December 2004 in Brussels, in the presence of EU Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik.
With help from the Commission, Europe''s textiles and clothing industry is to take advantage from the creation of a technology platform, designed to make the sector more innovative and knowledge-based.
“Today, with the launch of the technology platform, we can make a big new step in boosting the competitiveness of the European textiles and clothing industry. The 2020 vision document prepared by [Euratex] provides a sound and promising basis for the development of the textiles and clothing strategic research agenda that will transform the industry,” said Commissioner Potocnik.
The initiative will bring together representatives of the textile industry, related industries and service providers, the scientific and education community and public authorities at all levels in a joint effort to map out long-term vision and strategic research agenda for the coming years based on research, technology and innovation.
Three central concepts for defending the industry''s competitive position have been used to define the technology platform:
1. To move from commodities towards specialty products using high-tech processes, based on nano-, micro- and biotechnologies, new coatings and laminations, digital processes, etc.
2. To establish and expand textiles as the raw material of choice in many sectors and applications (transport systems, construction, protective and medical applications, etc.)
3. To move from the mass manufacture of textile products towards a new industrial era characterized by customization, personalization and on-demand production coupled with intelligent logistics, distribution and services.
Euratex President Filiep Libeert said, “I believe to make a success of the European Technology Platform for the Future of Textiles and Clothing, could be this industry’s key contribution to the EU’s Lisbon Strategy and Knowledge for Growth initiative. I can assure you, Mr. Potocnik, that growth, competitiveness and employment through increased research, development and innovation is as high on our agenda as it is on yours.”
For realizing this vision the textile industry will require to overcome a number of constraints on its research and innovation performance, such as a general lack of resources, both human and capital, widespread fragmentation and duplication of efforts, shortcomings in translating research into innovation, and difficulties in protecting intellectual property rights.
The more practical objectives for the technology platform''s participants include achieving a better pooling and coordination of research and innovation efforts, developing a long-term vision and corresponding strategic research agenda, and facilitating access to innovation-enabling resources and improving innovation framework conditions.
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