These collaborations between the Commission and the industry will foster global competitiveness for European businesses, bring down the excessive energy consumption of Europe's buildings that make up one-third of EU CO2 emissions, and develop new and sustainable forms of road transport.

Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Information Society and Media (right) put her finger on the ICT required behind suceeding with the key markets "Joint investment by the Commission and industry represents an important step towards a knowledge-based and low-carbon EU economy. Achieving research excellence and combining efforts are crucial for making Europe emerge from the crisis as a strong, more sustainable and more competitive society. Research in Information and Communication Technologies can play a particularly useful role in developing the tools for helping Europe's economic recovery and the greening of our European economy."

"Research results have to find their way to effective application in industry if Europe is to move towards a low-carbon, knowledge- based economy. The PPPs show that the European Commission is helping industry to invest a critical mass of resources in longer-term research even in these times of crisis when the temptation for industry is to think short-term," said Massimo Matucci, (left) on behalf of the "Factories of the Future" PPP, Juan Manuel Mieres, representing the "Energy-efficient Buildings" PPP, and Günter Lugert, for the "Green Cars" PPP.

The first set of calls for proposals that will be officially launched on 30 July for the projects to run by mid-2010. They will inject €268m of research funding to develop for instance:

• innovative manufacturing technologies, materials and processes to produce more, while consuming less material, less energy, and producing less waste
• more energy-efficient buildings, including new constructions and greening of existing buildings, new materials and construction techniques
• greener cars and smarter transport systems, including electrification of road and urban transport, and research into hybrid technologies

Factories of the future
Common vision towards 2020 (SecondLifeFactory)
*Strategic Research Agenda.
*Start the implementation of Manufuture Actions.
*Transectoral Technology Roadmaps "Manufuture Work programme" for implementation.
* Joint activities with other European Initiatives (i.e. EU-MECHA-PRO, Footwear P&P, MINAM, RM) and ETPs (i.e. ECTP, Industrial Safety, SusChem, Textile, WATERBORNE).
*Set up of 30 National/Regional Manufuture initiatives.
* Debate, for a strategy towards a Sustainable Manufacturing in Europe.
*Current debate for international collaboration in manufacturing research.

Energy efficiency in buildings  (Right)
*Development of ICTs for energy-smart buildings/districts, integration of renewable energy systems in buildings and districts.
*Use of nanotechnologies, materials, components, systems, construction processes and their integration into energy-efficient buildings.
*Large scale demonstration will integrate & demonstrate innovative technology in their final phase of development.
*Industrialisation of products & components contribute energy efficient build  with phase-change & insulation materials, smart windows & facades.
*Adaptation of design processes,  financing, initiate new commissioning procedures, tackling behavioural issues, ensure knowledge transfer.
*EeB benefit from integration into buildings/districts of the latest technologies  out of long-term research on renewable energy and other clean technologies such as fuel cells being funded under other initiatives.

Green car initiative         
*Mobility & Transport - Including deploying ICT as well as intelligent transport systems and transport management.  (right)
* Energy & Environment - Explore primary renewable energy sources that are secure, sufficient and environmentally compatible.
* Safety - Ensures the safety of vehicle concepts and types.
*Affordability & competitiveness - Achive green objectives at  affordable level and taking into account availability and use of raw and rare materials.