Semiconductors are a building block for almost all business processes, devices, machines, and consumer products. Strengthening the European position in this chain is not only an economic priority but also a strategic necessity for maintaining prosperity and security, according to the nine countries. Better collaboration will also help improve European autonomy, resilience, and earning capacity. The coalition will collaborate with the European Commission, which was present at todays launch, to achieve its goals.
Minister Dirk Beljaarts (Economic Affairs): “The economy ministers of the involved countries all agree that European countries, industries, and knowledge institutions need to collaborate more intensively. Not just a little more, but a lot more. We have agreed for the first time to develop a joint approach to increase production capacity, to have more public and private funding for the latest semiconductor technologies and applications, and to invest in sufficiently trained personnel who can work in this sector.”
The coalitions goals include expanding production capacity within the EU and further strengthening the current European global players in the semiconductor value chain. The initiative from the nine countries also responds to the worldwide increase in government investments in the sector. Currently, there is a joint funding of €43 billion for the European semiconductor chain through the EU Chips Act. Other major international billion-dollar projects include the CHIPS & Science Act in the US, The Big Fund in China, and investments in South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. Therefore, the Semicon Coalition will also work with the European Commission to look at ways of support in the longer term.
The joint statement on the establishment of the Semicon Coalition can be read here.