EMVA Business Conference 2026: The Cyber Resilience Act Casts Its Shadow
The 24th EMVA Business Conference took place in Stockholm from June 18 to 20, 2026. One of the most pressing topics was the Cyber Resilience Act, which will also have a significant impact on the machine vision industry and, in particular, the GenICam software standard.
High-profile keynote speakers, fascinating insights into numerous current and planned innovations, and intensive networking among international machine vision experts once again characterized the EMVA Business Conference, held from June 18 to 20, 2026, in Stockholm. For the 24th time, the event organized by the European Machine Vision Association provided an excellent platform for the exchange of ideas among senior representatives of the vision industry.
One of the most important issues facing the industry was addressed by EMVA General Manager Thomas Lübkemeier in his opening speech: The Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), introduced by the European Union, will have far-reaching implications for the entire industry. December 11, 2027, is a key deadline for all companies manufacturing or distributing products with digital elements. If components or systems do not comply with the requirements of the extended CE marking, they will no longer be permitted to be distributed in Europe without exception.
Among the technologies affected is the GenICam software standard, which has been managed by the EMVA for around 20 years. As a result, the association must ensure that the transition of GenICam in accordance with the CRA requirements is completed on time. According to EMVA President Dr. Chris Yates, the technical experts responsible for this within the GenICam Working Group are already working intensively on a practical solution that will meet the needs of all affected players in the vision industry.
A Wide Range of Presentations
As always, presentations by selected participants and companies formed the informative core of the EMVA Business Conference. In Stockholm, AI4IV, Eines Systems, Eleven Dynamics, Forca Silicon, Murrelektronik, Optec, Roboception, SICK, and STEMMER IMAGING, among others, provided interesting insights into current developments and offered food for thought on potential changes within the vision industry. Taking a journey into the past, former Teledyne executive Philip Colet examined the (R)evolution of machine vision technology over the past several decades. He also shared his views on the future significance of artificial intelligence for the vision industry. Keynote presentations by Sony Kapoor of the Nordic Institute for Finance, Technology, Sustainability and Society, and Olof Gränström provided thought-provoking perspectives and plenty of material for discussion beyond the day-to-day business of the industry.
EMVA Young Professional Award
A regular highlight of the EMVA Business Conference is the presentation of the EMVA Young Professional Award.
This year, the award went to Dr. Vanessa Staderini from Italy, who works at the Austrian Institute of Technology in Vienna. She was honored for her research work entitled “Integrated Planning and Optimization Framework for Robotic Visual Inspection.” In her research, she investigates ways of optimizing the collaboration between robotics and machine vision systems. Her work has already earned her several awards.
Next Conference in Nice
The next EMVA Business Conference will take place in Nice, France, in April 2027. The EMVA will announce the exact dates of the event shortly.
