+44 (0)24 7671 8970
More publications     •     Advertise with us     •     Contact us
*/
News Article

ESIA applauds the final Report on KETs

News
Semiconductor industry leaders across the value chain discuss and react to the KETs final report
Over the past year a select group of European industrialists engaged in a strategic planning process with government representatives from key EU Member States and several Directorates General of the European Commission to define a competitive framework to facilitate the success of these crucial key enabling technologies in the EU. The high level group was chaired by Jean Therme, CEO of the French research organisation CEA. Central to these discussions were the role KETs can play in tackling Europe’s grand societal challenges such as energy efficiency or ageing population, as well as the global competitive positioning of KETs in Europe. This process led to a final report which delivers concrete and far-reaching recommendations for the advancement of KETs in Europe. The recommendations span the entire value chain from the generation of ideas to their commercialisation, and cover the areas of technological research, product development and globally competitive manufacturing.

The reaction of Carlo Bozotti - ESIA’s President and President and CEO of STMicroelectronics - Europe’s largest chip maker - to the final KETs report was: “With this report we are seeing the emergence of a comprehensive and practical blueprint of a European industrial innovation and manufacturing policy for key enabling technologies. This definitely has the potential of boosting innovation in Europe and ensuring that key enabling technologies like microelectronics can fully fulfil their enabling role in and for Europe for the benefit of strategic industries such as automotive, healthcare, industrial, telecom or energy management and saving.”   

In the area of product development, the report shows that Europe devotes far more resources to fundamental research than other competitor regions and is however not competitive when it comes to supporting more product-based research. No wonder good European ideas are often successfully exploited elsewhere. Says CEO of Infineon Technologies Peter Bauer: “A change is well-overdue here. The ability to be more globally competitive regarding the installation of pilot and demonstration lines in Europe would be one direct consequence if the recommendations are implemented.”

In addition the report contains recommendations to enhance competitive manufacturing, including the introduction of a matching clause designed to attract investment in production in and into Europe, or adapting EU state aid provisions to the realities of industries competing in highly globalized economies. These recommendations are also supported by Intel VP and Intel Ireland’s General Manager Eamonn Sinnott and the CEO of one of Europe’s leading material and renewable energy system supplier companies André-Jacques Auberton-Hervé of Soitec: Says Sinnott: “We support the report’s recommendations to create a global level playing field for advanced manufacturing in Europe, with particular emphasis on the crucial contributions of the semiconductor industry. It is imperative that we retain and attract new investments in advanced manufacturing in order to sustain and grow this capability.” Auberton-Hervé states: “One of Europe’s strengths is the successful cooperation between suppliers and chip makers. The report recognizes the strategic importance of the value chain from raw materials to final products and the recommendations aim at enhancing European competitiveness through its value chain in a mutually beneficial way.”    

The recommendations to enhance technological research call for new integrated R&D programmes 'from the lab to the pilot line' for KETs. They also include a greater focus on ensuring the inclusion of the entire value chain in R&D programmes and a coordinated approach to validate new technologies and take them up to prototype production. "Integrated programmes to guide technological research via technology validation to pilot lines and demonstrators in the field of KETs are certainly needed. They would be an innovation for Europe in their own right ", says Professor Hans-Jörg Bullinger, President of Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, Europe's largest organisation for applied research and technology development.

The discussions and reactions above reflected the enthusiastic response to the recommendations coming out of the report from the semiconductor industrial leaders who were all members of the high level group. At the same time there was also the realization that the High Level Expert Group’s Final Report is a vital milestone but not the end result. They and ESIA remain committed to continue to support this strategic initiative and therefore now urge EU decision-makers to ensure its speedy implementation.
×
Search the news archive

To close this popup you can press escape or click the close icon.
Logo
×
Logo
×
Register - Step 1

You may choose to subscribe to the Silicon Semiconductor Magazine, the Silicon Semiconductor Newsletter, or both. You may also request additional information if required, before submitting your application.


Please subscribe me to:

 

You chose the industry type of "Other"

Please enter the industry that you work in:
Please enter the industry that you work in: