Joint undertaking / High-performance computing

Key points

• The EESC confirms the validity of this strategic initiative and the added value of an EuroHPC (High Performance Computing) Joint Undertaking (JU) as a tangible step in keeping with the European Union cloud strategy as well as being an integral part of a wider EU strategy (including amongst other things cybersecurity, the Digital Single Market, the European Gigabit Society, Open Science, EU4Health and Resc-EU).

• The EESC considers that the EU's existing investments deployed in recent years and even after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic for the acquisition and operation of world-class supercomputing machines are still not at an optimal level compared to those of its competitors (the US, China and others). Additional resources and investments are called for, including on the part of the EU Member States, particularly those that are less advanced and/or involved in the field.

• The EESC calls on the Commission to redouble its efforts to draw up a "multiannual roadmap" that can guarantee EU civil society ownership and contribute in a practical way to the respective levels of JU governance in strategic sectors.

• Beyond the existing HPC competence centres and Digital Innovation Hubs, it is urgent to integrate the added value and multiplier role of a permanent Civil Society Dialogue within existing JU Advisory Groups.  The EESC, owing to its very nature, would be the ideal partner for holding an open EuroHPC JU Annual EU Dialogue Forum.

• The EESC deems it necessary to collect EU civil society feedback to better monitor, explain and promote by the EU institutions and Member States the short- and medium-term added value of the EuroHPC JU and the sectoral advantages and opportunities it presents as a legal and strategic instrument.

• The EU should make the most of the opportunity presented by the development of EuroHPC JU technology to develop the relevant European industrial sectors so that they can cover the entire production chain (design, manufacturing, implementation and application).

For more information please contact the INT Section Secretariat.