Page 51 - EE Times Europe March 2022

EE|Times EUROPE 51

SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY
EU Must Continue to Invest in Microelectronics,

Says SEMI Europe President

By Anne-Françoise Pelé

urope has strategic assets in the semi- Development: A Key Driver of Innovation semiconductor equipment, materials, and
conductor value chain, but revitalizing and Resilience raw materials. What kind of strategies?
the manufacturing economy, fostering • Semiconductor Supply Chains — Global Are European countries sometimes too
Eand protecting innovation, and bridging Partnerships for a Global Industry protective of their technological advances
the talent shortage are essential factors for • Upskilling and reskilling as a fundament to the point of hindering pooling?
sustainable European technology sovereignty. for the Industrial Alliance for Processors Altimime: The automotive industry chip
In the 1990s, Europe experienced a surge in and Semiconductor Technologies and the shortage triggered by Covid-19 has tran-
new fab installations. The flow then reversed, Chips Act sitioned from being a seemingly minor
and the continent has fallen far behind in irritation in December 2020 to a full-blown
semiconductor manufacturing capacity over EE TIMES EUROPE: If you were to prioritize global supply chain crisis up and down
the past two decades. According to consulting SEMI Europe’s four recommendations, the value chain, including semiconductor
firm Kearney, Europe’s share in global chip what would be the top priority? equipment, materials, and raw materials and
manufacturing has dropped from 25% in 2000 Laith Altimime: Semiconductors must components.
to 8% today. An even more drastic decline has remain at the core of Europe’s industrial and In our recommendations, SEMI suggests
occurred in advanced semiconductor technol- technological ambitions. With the launch establishing mechanisms for increased aware-
ogy, with Europe’s market share falling from of the Industrial Alliance for Processors ness of supply chain bottlenecks in both the
19% in 2000 to zero today. and Semiconductor Technologies and the semiconductor industry and end-user sectors.
Europe’s dependence on Asian semicon- announcement of the Chips Act, Europe has By introducing means to share best practices
ductors has become too pervasive and has taken a pivotal step in securing supply chain on supply chain monitoring and bottleneck
had a ripple effect on the broader automotive resilience and the future competitiveness mitigation, potential disruptions and risks
and consumer electronics of the microelectronics could be [promptly] identified and alternative
sectors. In response, the ecosystem. means of supply secured. To remain competi-
European Union has set a I believe all four of tive and advance our strategic position in the
strategic ambition to more our recommendations go digital age, we also suggest that Europe must
than double its share of together in order to main- continue to invest in the microelectronics
semiconductor manufactur- tain Europe’s leadership and industry to advance innovations, new mate-
ing in 2030. achieve the goal to produce rials, designs, equipment, and manufacturing
Laith Altimime, president 20% of the world’s micro- to maintain global leadership and further
of SEMI Europe, is a promi- chips by 2030. European strengthen the resilience of our supply chain.
nent presence in that effort. Commission President The European Commission president also
Altimime has a constant Ursula von der Leyen, in highlighted this as the fourth focus area,
pulse on the semiconductor her address at the Davos noting: “We will improve our toolbox to antic-
industry. He leads SEMI’s Agenda, reaffirmed the ipate and respond to shortages and crises in
activities in Europe, the Laith Altimime, strategic importance of our this sector to shore up our security of supply,
Middle East, and Africa and SEMI Europe President industry, saying “There’s so as to be better prepared.” In her closing
oversees standard-setting no digital without chips,” remarks, she added: “We will promote diversi-
activities, advocacy, community develop- while highlighting five key focus areas of the fication among like-minded partners, we will
ment, exhibitions, and programs. He provides upcoming Act that are well-aligned with our promote more balanced interdependencies,
support and services to SEMI members with four recommendations. and we will build supply chains we can trust
supply chain interests in Europe. If I was to focus on one critical point, that by avoiding single points of failure.”
In a Q&A with EE Times Europe, Altimime would be the Talent Pipeline. The semi-
discussed Europe’s vision and missions to conductor industry is currently facing an EETE: Do you believe in a Europe-first
strengthen semiconductor manufacturing unprecedented shortage of talent, not just in spirit, in which leaders would seek
operations and improve the resilience of Europe but globally. It is critical that Europe to serve the interests of Europe first,
supply chains. prioritize the development of long-term before serving those of their respective
pan-European skills strategies, capitaliz- countries?
EU’S SEMICONDUCTOR SOVEREIGNTY ing on expertise from skills initiatives such Altimime: Our industry is global, and
SEMI Europe recently outlined a series of rec- as the SEMI Europe–led Microelectronics with so many opportunities and challenges
ommendations to reinforce the resilience and Training Industry and Skills (METIS) project ahead driven by the digital transformation,
competitiveness of the semiconductor ecosys- and the mobilization of the Pact for Skills for collaborations and partnerships across the
tem in Europe. The recommendations, which microelectronics. These skills projects are global value are crucial for success to main-
call for a more transversal collaboration and instrumental for achieving the goal by 2030. tain Europe’s leadership in the digital age.
open innovation within Europe, are: Continued investment is needed to maintain
• Semiconductor Manufacturing: Setting a EETE: SEMI suggests the development of leadership in core strengths such as R&D,
Target to Steer Europe’s Efforts common strategies for better securing equipment, automotive, and medical.
• Semiconductor Research and the semiconductor supply chain, including I again refer to the European Commission

www.eetimes.eu | MARCH 2022