News item | 05-12-2023 | 8:00 pm
More than a hundred companies and knowledge institutions from twelve EU countries will work together to set up new and innovative cloud solutions for (industrial) companies. This should lead to fewer technological dependencies and less market disruption. But also to better applicability and mutual sharing of data, which also improves the competitive position of Dutch companies. The European Commission today also approved various initiatives from 13 Dutch companies and knowledge institutions. The government itself is contributing 70 million euros to the development of these cloud innovations in this so-called Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI).
In addition to public support from EU member states within this so-called IPCEI Next Generation Cloud Infrastructure and Services (CIS) there are also plenty of private investments from involved companies and knowledge institutions. A total of four billion euros is available in public-private investments from directly and indirectly involved parties. Now that EU approval has been granted, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate (EZK) can make a decision about the financing of the Dutch parties.
In addition to driving innovation and addressing market disruption, the IPCEI CIS also drives new data-driven business models. This concerns, for example, the use of digitally connected machines, sensors and other business processes in industry (the ‘Industrial Internet-of-Things’). Dutch entrepreneurs and researchers, including Leaseweb Global, TNO, AMS-IX and Asperitas, also focus their innovations on aspects such as sustainability, cyber security and flexibility of new cloud services and infrastructure such as decentralized data centers.
Minister Micky Adriaansens (Economic Affairs and Climate): “A large majority of companies indicate that they need an innovative European solution for cloud and other data applications. This does not exist now, because the market is in the hands of mainly non-European companies where different principles apply to sharing, processing and access to data. The high-tech manufacturing industry as a whole must be able to fully apply digitalization in their processes, services and products to remain globally competitive. That is why it is good that we are now taking concrete action on this.”
ICPEIs
ICPEIs are large-scale European collaborations of companies and knowledge institutions around an innovative technology, a production chain or infrastructure that is seen as strategically important for the EU. In addition to cloud and data infrastructure, this includes hydrogen and semiconductors. These projects are starting now and are of great importance for the jobs and income of (the day after) tomorrow. This state support to individual companies is limited to only necessary and proportionate support, without disrupting healthy (market) competition.
More about the IPCEI CIS through https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_6246