Technology platforms are an institutional to bring European policies to the priorities of the industry, involving all participants in a sector actors in the development of technology. Currently, the Technology Platforms play a key role in structuring the European Research Area (ERA)

Technology platforms are groups of entities interested in a particular sector led by industry, with the aim of defining a Strategic Research Agenda (English, SRA) on key issues for the sector and with great social importance for Europe in the to achieve the European objectives for growth, competitiveness and sustainability depends on technological advances and research in the medium and long term.

How are created:

The process of creating a technology platform begins with the meeting stakeholders, led by industry, to define this common vision technology. This is embodied in the Joint Strategic Agendawhich sets the objectives in the medium and long term for the technology. Then passed to the implementation phase, with the consequent mobilization of human and financial resources. From there, it raises the possibility of establishing a Joint Technology Initiative.

Spanish Technology Platforms

European Technology Platforms have been created on the initiative of the European Commission. In their wake came the Spanish Technology Platforms, driven by the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade, the Ministry of Education and Science and the Center for Industrial Technological Development (CDTI). In a few cases have emerged as national nodes of the European and otherwise, in response to an expressed interest of Spanish industry, with no European equivalent. There are currently 36 ETPs and 29 Spanish, some still under construction.