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The CHIPS for Europe Initiative represents the first pillar of the European Chips Act. It aims to advance semiconductor technologies in Europe, promoting innovation and competitiveness in the field, with an expected total budget of €15.8 billion until 2030.

The Chips for Europe Initiative aims to achieve the following five critical operational goals:

• Establishing a Design Platform
• Enhancing current and developing new advanced pilot lines
• Strengthening capabilities to accelerate the development of Quantum chips and related semiconductor technologies
• Creating a network of competence centres across the Union
• Establishing a Chips Fund to facilitate access to debt financing and equity, explicitly targeting start-ups, scale-ups, SMEs, and small mid-caps

Except for the Chips Fund, which the European Innovation Council and InvestEU will administer, the Initiative will primarily operate through the Chips Joint Undertaking, formerly known as the Key Digital Technologies Joint Undertaking. Horizon Europe and Digital Europe programmes will launch calls for funding projects in the Initiative’s framework.

The EU Commission officially launched the Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU) on 30 November 2023. With an approximate budget of nearly €11 billion by 2030, provided by the EU and participating states, Chips JU is described as the leading implementer of the overall Chips for Europe initiative.

The Chips JU already launched its first calls for innovative pilot lines, making €1.67 billion available in the EU. The calls were open to organisations that wish to establish pilot lines in Member States, typically research and technology organisations working on very specific areas like Fully Depleted Silicon on Insulators towards 7 nm, Leading-edge nodes below 2 nm, Heterogeneous system integration and assembly, and Wide Bandgap semiconductors. The pilot lines’ objective is to accelerate process development, test and experimentation, and validation of design concepts.

On 11 April 2024, the Chips JU announced the positive evaluation of the submitted innovative semiconductor pilot line proposals and has started negotiations with four consortia. These are the first steps to boost innovation in the region and reinforce Europe’s technological leadership on the global stage.

If the negotiations are successful, the Hosting Consortia will implement each of the four pilot lines and will receive grants for the set-up, integration, process development and operational activities.

Kari Leino, Chair of the Chips JU Public Authorities Board, stated: “The selection of these pilot lines marks a pivotal moment for Europe’s semiconductor industry, showcasing the collective commitment of European states to drive technological innovation.”

You can find more detailed information on Chips JU and the following calls here: Pilot Lines · Chips Ju (europa.eu)

Written by: Cristina Ceccarelli