Pasi Pylväs: “The Chips Act isn’t the complete solution”
At this year’s Evertiq Expo Tampere, Pasi Pylväs – director of the Finnish Chips Competence Center – gave a presentation covering the current state of European chip manufacturing, what The EU Chips Act gets right, and what still needs to be done in order to secure the industry’s future.
Among the key points Pasi Pylväs made during his presentation was that the EU has fallen behind drastically regarding semiconductor manufacturing, outsourcing large parts of the industry to Asian countries. In an interview with Evertiq, he emphasised the need for renewed focus on domestic production.
“To be honest, we were a bit naive,” Pylväs admits. “Years ago, we gave away too much of the industry to Asia, without fully realising how the global landscape could shift. Now we understand the importance of securing supply chains within Europe.”
But, as he explains, rebuilding Europe’s semiconductor presence isn’t something that can be done overnight.
“We’re addressing the issue now, but it’s a slow process. It won’t be solved in one or two years—not even in five. Still, the trajectory looks promising.”
The Chips Act, he adds, is just the beginning. According to Pasi, there will be a need for a Chips Act 2.0, and maybe even more iterations after that.
“Everyone has to wake up and realise we’re in a race against the U.S. and Asia.”
Increasingly high requirements
When asked about Finland’s role in the European electronics value chain, Pylväs points to Tampere, Oulu, and both Eastern and Western Finland as regional hubs for deep tech – including semiconductors. However, he acknowledges the intensity of global competition.
“There’s a real need for manufacturing capabilities in Europe – and even more specifically in Finland – for strategic sectors like defence. But the industry must meet increasingly high requirements to develop the necessary technologies.”
Lastly, we ask Pasi about his impression of Evertiq Expo Tampere – the first one he attends.
“I’m really pleased with the event,” says Pasi Pylväs. “We’ve already had some excellent discussions with companies. It’s a unique opportunity to explore collaboration within the Chips Act framework and highlight the services FiCCC provides.”
This was not the last, nor the only, edition of Evertiq Expo in Tampere. Join us in Finland next year – March 26, 2026.