The Franco-Italian group STMICROELECTRONICS is negotiating the purchase of parts of the business of the American firm MOTOROLA in semiconductors. Should the operation succeed, it would give rise to the world's number two in the sector, behind INTEL, with a turnover of over $11 bn, on the basis of the results of 2001 (turnover of $6.3 bn for STMICROELECTRONICS and 5 bn for MOTOROLA.