The German Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (VDMA) has issued a call to arms to the European robotics industry, saying it must act now or risk falling behind more pro-active Asian and North American competitors.

As detailed in its strategy paper, “Leveraging Robotics and Automation for a Resilient and Competitive Europe”, the VDMA has four key recommendations for policy makers, including national governments and EU institutions, across Europe.

Firstly, the VDMA recommends a “Robotics offensive for Europe” to counter policies like the America First agenda in the US and China's five-year plan for robotics. It says action of this kind will help Europe regain its independence, cope with demographic change, and transition to carbon neutrality.

The second recommendation concerns access to more venture capital for European start-ups. The VDMA says this will require reforming the regulatory framework for institutional investors.

The VDMA’s third key recommendation involves drawing up a roadmap for competitiveness within the European robotics sector and benchmarking against the Asian and North American sectors.

And finally, the VDMA highlights the need for a focus on scalability. It says that policymakers in Europe need to create an environment that not only generates innovation but also translates it into mass production and widespread application.

“We have no time to waste,” says Dietmar Ley, chairman of VDMA robotics and automation. “Our new strategy paper is a call to policymakers across Europe to set the course on how to use robotics and automation to make Europe more competitive and resilient. Let us get to work now.”