Industry, Member States and the European Commission have joined forces in a promising attempt to boost nanoelectronics research and manufacturing in Europe. With a budget of €3bn, a Europe-wide public-private research partnership called ENIAC is expected to create a strong nanoelectronics research and manufacturing sector in Europe. ENIAC’s goal is to further generate innovative products with in-built intelligence many areas such as the consumer electronics, automotive, healthcare and environmental management sectors.

"Semiconductor chips are the engine of the information revolution. They are continuously shrinking in size but growing in power and performance. This is a race in which Europe must look to new nanoelectronic techniques to keep up," said Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Information Society and Media. "Together with industry and Member States, the new joined technology initiative launched by the Commission today will ensure Europe maintains its lead in this field, guaranteeing growth and jobs for future generations."

The utter target of ENIAC is to accelerate the transition from micro to nanoelectronics, aiming at a revolution of simple commercial products, computing and communication, healthcare, energy and environmental management.

The ENIAC initiative will be run through a Joint Undertaking, to be established by Council Regulation under Community law later this year. The Joint Undertaking is expected to begin at the start of 2008. Industry partners will be represented by AENEAS, a non-profit industrial association. Membership of AENEAS is open to large industries, small and medium-sized enterprises, research institutes, academia, and associations active in nanoelectronics.