BRUSSELS, Belgium, June 29 -- The European Union (EU) has launched the European Nanoelectronics Initiative Advisory Council (ENIAC) to support a competitive nanoelectronics industry in Europe. European Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin and Enterprise and Information Society Commissioner Erkki Liikanenn made the announcement today at a meeting in Brussels. "Nanoelectronics is of vital importance for Europe, not only for generating tens of thousands of highly skilled jobs but also as a crucial enabler of growth and competitiveness in most other industrial sectors," said the EU-sponsored organization Information Society Technologies. "These include telecommunications, automotive, multimedia, consumer goods and medical systems. Huge investments are required to remain at the forefront of global developments and to stay ahead of strong international competition." ENIAC's mission is to put in place recommendations of an EU-sponsored report released today, "Vision 2020: Nanoelectronics at the Centre of Change," by a group of executives from European industries and research organizations, that highlights the importance of ensuring advanced research and high-value manufacturing capabilities in Europe. It calls on industry, research centers, academia and policymakers to mobilize their resources. The report predicts that the progress of nanoelectronics will continue for at least another 15 years, and will give rise to another revolution in the number of applications enabled by this technology. ENIAC's goals include supporting public and private R&D investments in nanotechnology and the development of a common European vision for the increasingly knowledge-based world economy. Pasquale Pistorio, president and CEO of STMicroelectronics, will chair ENIAC. He said, "This cooperation will provide a strategic framework in which all European public and private enterprises will be able to work effectively together to contribute to the development of this new age and will reinforce Europe's position as a key player in the global economy." For more information, visit: www.cordis.lu/ist/eniac/