A €200bn recovery plan announced by the European Commission will include a major economic stimulus to the European technology sector including energy-efficient electronic systems.
One aspect of the recovery plan is a bid to boost efforts to tackle climate change while creating much-needed jobs at the same time, through for example strategic investment in energy efficient buildings and technologies.
"The Recovery Plan can keep millions in work in the short-term. It can turn the crisis into an opportunity to create clean growth and more and better jobs in the future,” said Commission President José Manuel Barroso.
The plan includes short-term measures to boost demand, save jobs and help restore confidence. A further strategy for what the EC calls “smart investment" will look to generate loner term growth.
It calls for targeted and temporary fiscal stimulus of around €200bn or 1.5% of EU GDP, within both national budgets and EU and European Investment Bank budgets.
It will include steps to promote entrepreneurship, research and innovation, including in the car and construction industries.
“The timely, targeted and temporary fiscal stimulus will help put our economy back on track, within the Stability and Growth Pact. Smart investments in tomorrow's skills and technologies will accelerate Europe's drive under the Lisbon Growth and Jobs Strategy to become a dynamic low-carbon economy for the 21st century,” said Barroso.
Of interest to the electronics sector will be a drive to invest some of the money in new infrastructure and energy-efficiency projects.
“Investing in clean cars helps protect the planet and will give Europe's companies a leading edge in a highly competitive market,” said the Commission.
The role electronics technology has in the development of energy-efficient systems was a major theme at this month’s Electronica exhibition in Munich.
According to Brian Halla, CEO of National Semiconductor this spells a re-birth for the semiconductor industry. “I'm wildly optimistic about the future of our industry."