The Virtual and Augmented Reality Industrial Coalition

The VR/AR Industrial Coalition was first announced in 2020 in the Commission’s Media and Audiovisual Action Plan. This initiative aims to inform policy making, encourage investment, facilitate dialogue with stakeholders and identify key challenges and opportunities for the European VR/AR sector. The Coalition forms part of the overall strategy on Virtual Worlds fit for people.

The diverse European VR/AR ecosystem comprises a high number of small and medium enterprises and a few dominant, often non-European, market players. Although it can be difficult for founders and producers to finance the production of quality content, one of the EU advantages is a strong tradition for public support to content, research, development and innovation, including for VR/AR.

Europe has a large potential industrial market which could benefit from these technologies. To remain relevant in this new context, Europe needs to build a digital skills pipeline, develop sustainable business models for VR/AR enterprises, support the digitisation of European cultural heritage, foster the development of digital audience experiences and ensure it does not fall behind in the business-to-business market.

What is the Coalition doing?

A series of workshops were held with over 100 stakeholders from the end of 2021 until now in 2023. These workshop serves to keep a dialogue between members and the European Commission. In early 2023 the workshops helped form the new strategy on Web 4.0 and virtual worlds to steer the next technological transition, which was published on 11 July 2023.

• An EU initiative on Web 4.0 and virtual worlds: a head start in the next technological transition
• Staff Working Document: Citizens’ panel report on virtual worlds
• Staff Working Document: information, insights and market trends on web 4.0 and virtual worlds
• Next generation virtual worlds (JRC): opportunities, challenges, and policy implications
• A strategic paper  of the European VR/AR ecosystem – including a market assessment policy recommendations
• Develop a roadmap outlining the next steps for VR/AR in Europe endorsed by the Commission and EU organisations operating and investing in these technologies

The Coalition takes a broad, cross-sectorial approach involving industries, technology providers and creatives. It reflects a diversity of skills and it counts on prominent players in various sectors, ranging from content production and distribution to the availability of technology, as well as innovation and business development.

If you are interested to become a member you can contact us at the VRAR Coalition email.

Find hereby a list of organisations based in the EU who are supporting the coalition.