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The European Chips Act is poised to significantly bolster the European semiconductor industry, with an anticipated €100 billion in private investment by 2030, according to European Commission official Thomas Skordas.
Speaking at a conference in Antwerp, Skordas highlighted the initiative's progress, emphasizing its role as Europe's response to similar programs in the U.S. and Japan, as well as China's support for its domestic chipmakers.
The Chips Act, projected to provide €43 billion in funding, heavily relies on individual governments, with the Commission having approved limited funding so far. Nonetheless, prominent companies like Intel and TSMC have already committed to investing over €30 billion in new plants in Germany this year.
Skordas further revealed that the Commission plans to finalize funding for R&D pilot lines in four chip industry sub-sectors by September, including a substantial €2.5 billion grant for developing cutting-edge chips in Europe.
Additional funding for a pilot line focused on photonics, chips utilizing light instead of electricity, is also in the works.
Moreover, the Commission is establishing a European design platform to provide companies, academics, and startups with access to essential software tools for chip design.
Skordas announced that a call for the consortium responsible for designing and developing this platform is expected in July.
This announcement comes amidst a week of significant developments in the AI revolution, including OpenAI facing scrutiny from a Hollywood star.
The European Chips Act's progress signifies a crucial step towards strengthening Europe's semiconductor industry and reducing its dependence on external suppliers.
