To increase semiconductor production in Europe from 10 to 20% of world capacity, fresh money at European level is needed and will have to be mobilised in mid-2023 as part of the mid-term review of the European Union’s multiannual budget, said the European Parliament’s Industry Committee on Tuesday (24 January) when it adopted its negotiating position on the ‘Chips Act’ regulation on semiconductors.
“If we really want to keep our hi-tech industry from moving to other places on the globe, we must start producing our own semiconductors. (...) We ask for fresh money in the EU budget to finance the realisation of our strategy to produce chips in Europe”, said Dan Nica (S&D, Romanian) in a statement.
MEPs call for a mapping of the chip supply chain to identify possible bottlenecks. They also advocate the creation of a crisis response mechanism to anticipate the risk of shortages. In case of emergency, the European Commission would then be empowered to take measures such as prioritising supply according to the products particularly affected or joint procurement for Member States.
It is also suggested that a network of skills centres be created to address the talent shortage in this technology sector.
On Tuesday, the committee also adopted its negotiating position on the legislative proposal to create a joint undertaking for semiconductors. The scheme aims to support large-scale capacity building through investment in EU-wide research, development and innovation infrastructure.
Again, MEPs stress that to boost innovation, new money will be needed as well as a reallocation of funds from the Horizon Europe Research Framework Programme.
“We may not have the enormous financial firepower of the US, but the budget proposed by the Commission and the Council must reflect the seriousness of the challenge”, said Eva Maydell (EPP, Bulgarian), European Parliament rapporteur on the text. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)