Increasing European Competitiveness: How Robotics Can Support — Not Undermine — Industrial Sustainability: Practical policy and research directions — leveraging EU procurement and the Industrial Accelerator Act to seed sustainable robotics markets

Slides for an Invited Talk at the European Robotics Forum, 23 – 27 March 2026, Stavanger, Norway (Working Session 29 “How can the European robotic industry cope with planetary boundaries and resource depletion?”). The presentation explores the intersection of EU competitiveness and sustainability, arguing that robotics can enhance Europe’s long-term resilience if aligned with ecological and social limits. It offers a candid diagnosis alongside practical directions for policy, research, and deployment, highlighting how recent EU policy developments provide actionable levers for responsible robotics innovation. Citation statement: If you reuse, adapt, or draw on the ideas, frameworks, or visual materials in this presentation (including in talks, publications, policy documents, media content, or announcements), you must provide clear and visible attribution to the original author. This requirement applies not only to direct reproduction of slides, but also to the use of underlying concepts, analytical framing, subsidy or policy proposals derived from this work. Proper citation is essential to ensure academic integrity, traceability of ideas, and responsible knowledge sharing—particularly in policy-relevant domains.