07/09/23 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday 7 September, the European Committee of the Regions, in collaboration with the Free State of Saxony, launched the European Semiconductor Regions Alliance (ESRA), a political network of regions committed to strengthening Europe’s capacity to produce semiconductors and microelectronics and to reducing its dependence on supplies from third countries. In a jointly signed document, the members of the Alliance set out their 10 main objectives, including greater cooperation and innovation within the sector to counter China’s stranglehold on the market. The ESRA is comprised of 27 regions from 12 Member States, and its launch follows the adoption of the ‘Chips Act’ Regulation by the EU Council (see EUROPE 13229/23), which aims to facilitate the implementation of industrial projects for the production of semiconductors in the EU (see EUROPE 12886/1). (IS)