This weekd RTO Lithuania participated in the Photonics Partnership Annual Meeting (PPAM 2026) in Brussels, bringing together hundreds of representatives from industry, research and technology organisations, universities, and European institutions to discuss the future of photonics in Europe and contribute to the strategic preparation of the next EU Framework Programme (FP10).
The meeting focused on the role of photonics as a key enabling technology for several strategic sectors, including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum technologies, defence, digital infrastructure, manufacturing, health, and agriculture. Discussions highlighted the importance of strengthening Europe’s position across the entire photonics value chain and accelerating the transition from research excellence to large-scale industrial deployment.
During the opening session, representatives of the European Commission presented the progress achieved through the Photonics Partnership since 2021 and future perspectives for photonics sector. Key takeaways include:
- The strong progress of the Photonics Partnership, with 59 projects funded since 2021 and more than €315 million in EU contributions supporting innovation across the sector.
- The advancement of PIXEurope, a €400 million pilot line for photonic integrated circuits spanning 11 countries, strengthening Europe’s integrated photonics ecosystem.
- The growing impact of AI-driven demand for integrated photonics and the need for coordinated scaling efforts across the entire European value chain.
In the afternoon, participants joined thematic workshops dedicated to Digital Infrastructure, Manufacturing, Health, Safety and Security, Space and Defence, Agriculture and Food, and Core Photonics technologies. These sessions provided an opportunity to contribute to discussions on future research and innovation priorities and to help shape the implementation of Grand Challenges within FP10. A key objective was to begin transforming the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) into a roadmap focused on industrialisation and market impact.
The event reinforced a common message shared across the European photonics community: Europe has a unique opportunity to strengthen its technological leadership, and photonics will play a central role in achieving this objective. We are glad that RTO Lithuania, together with Lithuanian Innovation Center and Lithuanian Laser Association, are part of this change.