The European photonics industry has said it would be prepared to invest €5.6 billion in R&D if it gets €1.4bn from the European Commission’s next Framework Programme, Horizon 2020. The combined €7bn would fund a giant public-private partnership to fund R&D into technologies such as ultra-high-speed communication networks, laser-based manufacturing processes, and medical diagnostics, industry lobby group Photonics21 said on 14 September.