Press Release: Lead market initiative to unlock innovative markets

The European Commission is proposing to unlock market potential for innovative goods and services by lifting obstacles hindering innovation in a first batch of six important markets: eHealth, protective textiles, sustainable construction, recycling, bio-based products and renewable energies. These markets with high economic and societal value represent an annual turnover of more than €120 billion and 1.9 million jobs in the EU. With this initiative they may increase to over €300 billion and over 3 million jobs in the EU in 2020. The 'Lead Markets Initiative for Europe’ (LMI) proposed by the Commission will foster the emergence of these markets by notably improving legislation, encouraging public procurement and developing interoperable standards (see Memo/08/5). European enterprises would profit from fair and better chances of entering new fast growing world-wide markets with a competitive advantage as lead producers. LMI would also rapidly bring visible advantage for Europe’s consumers in key domains for their welfare.

European Commission: MEMO/08/5: Coordinated action to accelerate the development of innovative markets of high value for Europe – the Lead Markets Initiative http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/08/5&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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