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Press Information
Brussels, 6 May 2015
Infrastructure key to complete Digital Single Market
Orgalime welcomes the Digital Single Market Strategy outlined by the European Commission today.
“We are happy to see that the Commission recognises digitalisation as the key driver of future
innovation. Our companies are developing and providing more and more sensor-equipped
machinery, smart production systems and intelligent products which are interconnected. We see the
‘Internet of Things’ starting to take up rapidly today, with some 50 billion devices being connected in
less than 5 years from now. This is where future products, business models and jobs are in
manufacturing”, says Adrian Harris, Director General of Orgalime.
Nevertheless, there still needs to be more focus on industrial needs – communication between
machines is rising exponentially and Europe should shape its physical and legal infrastructure
accordingly, starting with the following steps:
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Creating a physical infrastructure ready for hugely increased data flows
Timely development of industry lead standards for industrial needs in order to ensure
interoperability of systems and machines
Creating a legal framework that protects sensitive personal and company data but gives
access, where appropriate and at fair and reasonable conditions to both raw and aggregated
data.
“Our vision is an interconnected European economy that benefits best from one of its biggest assets:
a strong manufacturing industry, often embedded in regional clusters that are world-leading. That is
why it is so important that digitalisation finds its way into the entire value chain along the production,
starting from every SME to big global players. We are looking forward to working with the European
institutions on the necessary measures in detail” concluded Harris.
Ends
Notes for Editors:
Orgalime believes that data and notably so-called 'big data' will play a key role in what we believe are three interlinked European policy
areas where the engineering industry can play an overarching role in achieving the present Commission’s key jobs and growth objective:
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The Digital Single Market
The Single Market for Goods and Services
The Energy Union.
How EU and national policymakers deal with the issue will determine whether Europe can successfully move towards a data-driven
economy.
http://www.orgalime.org/position/european-engineering-beating-heart-data-driven-economy
Orgalime, the European Engineering Industries Association, speaks for 41 trade federations representing some 130,000 companies in
the mechanical, electrical, electronic, metalworking & metal articles industries of 23 European countries. The industry employs some 10
million people in the EU and in 2013 accounted for more than €1,700 billion of annual output. The industry accounts for over a quarter of
manufacturing output and a third of the manufactured exports of the European Union.
www.orgalime.org
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Tel: +32 2 706 82 35 | Fax: +32 2 706 82 50 | e-mail: secretariat@orgalime.org
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