FRG’s Plattform Industrie 4,0 and Japan’s Robot Revolution Initiative Agree on Cooperation Regarding IoT/Industrie 4,0

Plattform Industrie 4.0 of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Robot Revolution Initiative of Japan agreed on cooperation regarding Internet of Things/Industrie 4.0, on April 28, 2016.

Digitization and the linking of production processes along the entire global value chain via the Internet of Things (IoT)/Industrie 4.0 hold great potential to revolutionize manufacturing. The Plattform Industrie 4.0 of the Federal Republic of Germany (PFI4.0) and the Robot Revolution Initiative of Japan (RRI) recognize that cooperation in the area will increase the competitiveness of the industrial sectors of both countries.

In the field of Internet of Things/Industrie 4.0, the parties intend to create synergies by exchanging information on efforts concerning common challenges as well as support and promote cooperation among companies and research institutes of both countries.

The parties will cooperate in the fields listed in the joint statement by the government ministries, including industrial cyber security, international standardization, international regulatory reform, facilitation for small and medium sized enterprises (SME), human resource development, R&D, and others.

To promote productive cooperation in the field above, the parties intend to set up an action plan. Specifically, the parties intend to:

1. Establish and maintain a communication channel as appropriate for each topic;
2. Meet annually, alternating between Japan and Germany, possibly in conjunction with meetings between the governments of both countries, in order to exchange information, present results of the cooperation and discuss open questions;
3. Mutually participate in working groups, workshops, or common activities of each party, in line with the respective access regulations.

The cooperation of Plattform Industrie 4.0 and the Robot Revolution Initiative will be active under the conditions given by the joint statement on cooperation between the government ministries regarding Internet of Things/Industrie 4.0.

Keywords: Internet of Things, Industrie 4.0, Cyber Security, Production Processes, International Standardization, ARC Advisory Group.