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European Clusters Alliance

ECA

The association aims to promote and support, at the EU and global level, the interests of its members that are European national industrial clusters associations, regional clusters networks from EU members states, or any other national or regional organization promoting clusters from EU members states.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Mariella Masselink (Head of Unit Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs)

2 Dec 2025 · ECA position paper on the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF)

Meeting with Borja Giménez Larraz (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and Eurocities and

7 Oct 2025 · HOUS Draft Report

Meeting with Steven Engels (Head of Unit Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion)

17 Sept 2025 · Exchange of views on challenges for industrial clusters in the field of training and in the field of regional, national and EU funding.

Response to Apply AI Strategy

2 Jun 2025

Why Europe needs an Industrial-AI strategy and how to make it work Europes prosperity and global standing increasingly rest on its ability to design, build and use advanced Artificial Intelligence in factories, farms, energy systems and supply-chains. Unless the Union acts swiftly, our industries risk technological dependency, slower growth and lost high-value jobs. A dedicated EU Strategy to Enhance Industrial AI Capacities can turn the tide, provided it mobilises the partners that already knit industrial value-chains together, with clusters at the core of those ecosystems. Our proposal In light of the above, we respectfully request that the Commission consider the following actions: 1. Establish a new Task Force or strategic dialogue: Organize a expert group or task force, to discuss the components of a comprehensive strategy for developing, improving, and applying AI-based industrial services and products, with an emphasis on generative AI and associated emerging technologies. 2. Develop a roadmap for Industrial AI: Create a roadmap outlining the steps for the development, deployment, and integration of AI in industrial settings. 3. Create Targeted Investment Initiatives: Explore avenues for strategic investments that support research, development, and deployment of AI technologies across the EU industrial landscape. 4. Develop Skills and Training Initiatives: Establish targeted initiatives to strengthen AI competencies within the industrial workforce, including vocational training, re-skilling programs, and certification pathways. Involving the EU Industrial Forum members and also specialized research institutions in these discussions would ensure not only technical excellence and innovation but also the practical deployment and adoption of AI solutions aligned with ethical standards and sustainability goals. ________________________________________ Why clusters are game-changer Clusters act as regional ecosystems where companies, researchers, investors and public authorities experiment and scale together. By aggregating demand from thousands of SMEs, they lower entry barriers, spread best practice and channel investment towards high-impact pilots. Clusters are therefore the quickest route to: Diffuse trustworthy AI along value-chains through shared demonstrators and peer-learning. Pool regional, national and EU funds into joint AI factories and data spaces. Up-skill workers via cluster-led academies aligned with local labour-market needs. ________________________________________ Five actions the EU should launch now Action Cluster contribution & public benefit 1. Industrial-AI Task Force under the EU Industrial Forum Gives clusters a permanent seat, ensuring SME realities shape policy. 2. Roadmap 2025-30 for Industrial AI Clusters run foresight workshops and co-create measurable adoption milestones. 3. Pan-European Investment Facility Cluster consortia present bankable projects (e.g. shared compute, edge-AI testbeds) that blend EU and private finance. 4. Demonstrators & Living Labs within Testing and Experimentation Facilities Provide try-before-you-invest access so SMEs can validate AI solutions cheaply and safely. 5. Clusters4AI Skills Academy Pools training resources and issues micro-credentials for operators, engineers and managers across ecosystems. ________________________________________ Supporting measures Regulatory sandboxes co-hosted by authorities and clusters to test compliance with the AI Act while innovating. Compute & data vouchers earmarked for SMEs inside cluster networks. Cross-cluster Horizon Europe projects tackling challenges such as trustworthy generative AI in regulated industries. A call to action Europe possesses world-class researchers, vibrant regions and specialised supply-chainsbut they remain too fragmented. By placing industrial clusters at the heart of its forthcoming Strategy, the EU can transform that diversity into decisive advantage, anchoring ethical sustainable AI
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Meeting with Philippe Moseley (Cabinet of Commissioner Dan Jørgensen)

28 May 2025 · Housing

Meeting with Borja Giménez Larraz (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and Banco Santander, S.A. and

8 Apr 2025 · Housing crisis in the European Union