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[To Eurosmart members only]
Conclusions from the CEO roundtable on semiconductors
On 10 January, Vice-President Margrethe Vestager and Commissioner Thierry Breton hosted a roundtable on semiconductors. The following organisations were part of the roundtable:
-Alcyon Photonics (ES)
-ASML (NL)
-CEA-Leti (FR)
-Fraunhofer (DE)
-IMEC (BE)
-Infineon (DE)
-Kalray (FR)
-Melexis (BE)
-Nordic Semiconductor (NO)
-NXP (NL)
-Robert Bosch (DE)
-SOITEC (FR)
-STMicroelectronics (FR/IT)
-Tachyum (SK)
The discussion was organised in preparation for the upcoming European Chips Act. This future text will provide a framework for a coherent European vision and strategy in the semiconductor sector.
The European Commission noted that Europe has a strong market position in specific areas, such as power electronics, industrial automation and equipment manufacturing, manufacturing of analogue chips and low-power technology such as FDSOI. Europe is home to world-leading research and technology organisations.
However, Europe is also chronically vulnerable as it strongly depends on East Asia for manufacturing and the USA for the design of chips.
The participants at the roundtable discussed possible ways of increasing transparency in semiconductor supply chains and investments in productions facilities.
Some key messages were conveyed:
1. Europe needs to build on its strengths, e.g. in R&D and equipment;
2. clear support for pilot lines and design infrastructures;
3. urgent need for a Chips Fund to support start-ups, scale-ups, and SMEs;
4. pressing need for an investment framework that will help to increase Europe’s manufacturing capacity for both mature and advanced technologies to reach the 20% goal of the Digital Compass;
5. need for a worldwide level playing field and a more assertive Europe in the geopolitical arena.
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