SEMI Europe Supports Call for Action on European Manufacturing Policy

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SEMI today confirmed its support for joint industry/government cooperation to advance European manufacturing policy. A Joint-Declaration signed by SEMI Europe and 129 other manufacturing associations calls for a renewed commitment to the growth of manufacturing sectors and implementation of a strong action plan. SEMI has joined the appeal for the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Commission to determine and execute an ambitious industrial strategy with a realistic timeline.

“The European electronics manufacturing industry needs an ambitious policy more than ever,” said Laith Altimime, president of SEMI Europe.  “Our companies play a key-enabling role in advancing new technologies such as autonomous transportation, AR/VR, wearables, artificial intelligence and high-performance computing and forward-thinking policy support is vital to our future competitiveness.”

New technologies are emerging at a rapid pace providing the electronics manufacturing industry with tremendous opportunities. Yet, the transition from traditional markets to emerging applications is a challenge for many manufacturers, in particular for SMEs, as it entails considerable business risks and requires substantial investment in new domains. The electronics manufacturing industry, represented by SEMI, sees joint research and innovation (R&I) as well as a multidisciplinary workforce as crucial elements of a new industrial policy for Europe. Europe’s industrial policy should focus on re-building a manufacturing ecosystem in Europe, bringing together large companies, SMEs, start-ups and technology centers, creating new solutions for new areas.

“For years, EU’s R&I framework programmes have been instrumental in providing funding, accelerating cross-border collaboration, supporting risky projects and generating new skills. To make Europe a center of excellence in emerging technologies, the collaborative R&I model should be extended under the next framework programme,” said Altimime. “The European Commission should take into account that generating electronics components for new technologies is becoming increasingly complex and costly, in particular for SMEs. The EU should significantly increase the overall budget for R&I in the next framework programme and increase the SME role in collaborative projects.”

About SEMI

SEMI connects over 2,000 member companies and 1.3 million professionals worldwide to advance the technology and business of electronics manufacturing. SEMI members are responsible for the innovations in materials, design, equipment, software, devices, and services that enable smarter, faster, more powerful, and more affordable electronic products. FlexTech and the MEMS & Sensors Industry Group (MSIG) are SEMI Strategic Association Partners, defined communities within SEMI focused on specific technologies. Since 1970, SEMI has built connections that have helped its members prosper, create new markets, and address common industry challenges together. SEMI maintains offices in Bangalore, Berlin, Brussels, Grenoble, Hsinchu, Seoul, Shanghai, Silicon Valley (Milpitas, Calif.), Singapore, Tokyo, and Washington, D.C.