Key Takeaways
- Ireland endorses the Semicon Declaration, reinforcing the EU’s semiconductor strategy.
- The Declaration emphasizes the need for a revision of the European Chips Act to enhance competitiveness and resilience.
- Key objectives include boosting economic value, maintaining leadership in the semiconductor value chain, and ensuring supply chain stability.
Ireland Supports EU Semiconductor Strategy
Ireland has formally endorsed the Semicon Declaration, a significant step taken during the Competitiveness Council’s meeting with other EU member states. This Declaration focuses on the critical role of semiconductors in the EU’s competitiveness and aims to provide a unified approach to strengthening semiconductor policy across Europe.
The European Semiconductor Coalition, initiated in March 2023, includes countries such as Austria, Belgium, France, and Germany. This coalition aims to enhance Europe’s strategic autonomy in the semiconductor industry by promoting research, expanding production capacities, and developing a skilled workforce.
Peter Burke, Ireland’s Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Enterprise, publicly endorsed the Semicon Declaration, expressing pride in collaborating with European counterparts for a revitalized European Chips Act, referred to as ‘Chips Act 2.0’. Burke emphasized the importance of establishing a robust semiconductor ecosystem that secures Europe’s sovereignty and fosters innovation.
He noted Ireland’s alignment with the Declaration through its Silicon Island strategy, launched in May 2023, which aims to enhance manufacturing and research within the country, playing a key role in fulfilling Europe’s semiconductor ambitions.
The Semicon Declaration outlines three essential objectives for the revision of the European Chips Act:
- Prosperity: Strengthen Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem to generate economic and societal value.
- Indispensability: Maintain and improve leadership in critical segments of the semiconductor value chain.
- Resilience: Ensure stability in supply chains and promote technological autonomy.
Additionally, it identifies five pivotal policy priorities to achieve these goals:
- Ecosystem: Enhance collaboration among industry sectors, research entities, SMEs, and start-ups.
- Investment: Align funding sources and expedite the approval of strategic projects while mobilizing private investments.
- Skills: Develop a comprehensive talent pipeline in semiconductor technologies.
- Sustainability: Encourage green and energy-efficient semiconductor manufacturing practices.
- International Partnerships: Foster collaborations with globally aligned partners while safeguarding European strategic interests.
The European Chips Act, which came into force on September 21, 2023, seeks to bolster Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem, reduce dependency on external chip supplies, and enhance technological leadership. It focuses on three core areas: increasing funding for research and innovation, building new manufacturing capacity, and creating a response mechanism for supply chain disruptions. Currently, the Act is under review, with a public consultation running until November 2025.
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