European chip manufacturing industry group SEMI is sounding the alarm about chip manufacturers’ position in Europe. According to the group, a second version of the Chips Act is needed.
SEMI fears that Europe cannot make an impact in the chip world if it continues with the current version of the Chips Act. The group represents 300 major players in the chip industry and related industries, including ASML.
According to the industry group, the European budget must be centralized, and a path must be set for faster decision-making regarding strategic high-tech projects. Finally, the group calls for increased budgets. SEMI’s demands echo Mario Draghi’s findings in his report on European competitiveness.
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EU should not just listen to export rules
In the statement, the group further calls for reviewing and streamlining export rules. This is necessary “to protect the EU’s strategic interests and assert a strong EU voice on the global stage.” This statement is made in response to export restrictions from the United States and China, which continue to tighten. Recently, new restrictions were added from the U.S., affecting 140 companies. In the crosshairs are chips needed to train AI.
The industry group is publishing the recommendations ahead of a change in governance at the European Commission. They have reports and recommendations on hand from two different organizations representing the chip world. The other group is ESIA, whose members include NXP. This organization broadly asks for the same changes, and it is also pushing for a Chips Act 2.0.
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