SEMI Recommends to Bolster Europe’s Chip Ecosystem Resilience, Competitiveness

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SEMI, the global industry association that unites the entire electronics manufacturing and design supply chain, has issued recommendations to the European Commission for growing Europe semiconductor ecosystem resilience and competitiveness. The recommendations focus on the critical need for Europe to strengthen its microelectronics ecosystem with a long-term, forward-looking semiconductor manufacturing strategy and regulations that encourage more innovation. A diversified global network of suppliers and stronger strategic partnerships are key to that strategy.

“Semiconductors must remain at the core of Europe’s industrial and technological ambitions,” said Laith Altimime, president of SEMI Europe. “With the launch of the Industrial Alliance on Processors and Semiconductor Technologies and the announcement of the European CHIPS Act, Europe has taken a pivotal step in securing supply chain resilience and future competitiveness of its microelectronics ecosystem.”

The alliance and European CHIPS Act will be central to ensuring the funding, suppliers, and networks critical to Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem. The recommendations are aimed at building on Europe’s strategic position in embedded electronics to make it a global center of technological excellence and leadership in driving disruptive innovations. 

SEMI Europe outlined the following recommendations to increase the resilience and competitiveness of the semiconductor ecosystem in Europe. The recommendations were approved by Luc Van den hove, SEMI Europe Advisory Board chair and president and CEO of imec, and board members.

Manufacturing 

• Expand semiconductor manufacturing capacities with a focus on end-sector needs to maintain global leadership and market share.
• Advance Europe’s leadership in international standardization of smart manufacturing technologies.
• Support the introduction of circular economy strategies in semiconductor manufacturing.

Research and Innovation

• Create pan-European research, innovation and development roadmaps for advanced semiconductor technologies.
• Establish a European Semiconductor Technologies Innovation Observatory.
• Enhance protections for Europe’s collective research and development (R&D) data by safeguarding the sharing and transfer of knowledge among industry, academia and Research and Technology Organizations (RTOs).
• Create a European Semiconductor Fund to help scale European semiconductor innovation capacity.

Supply Chains

• Encourage the sharing of best practices and approaches to mitigate future supply chain risks.
• Develop common strategies for better securing the semiconductor supply chain, including semiconductor equipment, materials, and raw materials.

Skills

• Leverage Pact for Skills for microelectronics as the foundation for reskilling and upskilling Europe’s talent pool.
• Promote workforce development and mobility for better access to international technological expertise.

The annual Industry Strategy Symposium Europe (ISS Europe), March 17, 2022, in Brussels, will gather European microelectronics industry leaders and government officials in order to enhance their dialogue and collaboration.