EU Commission approves up to €8.1 billion support for the second IPCEI on microelectronics
Today, European Commissioner Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager approved an Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) to support research, innovation and the first industrial deployment of microelectronics and communication technologies across the value chain.
The project, called “IPCEI ME/CT”, was jointly prepared and notified by fourteen member states: Austria, Czechia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Spain.
The member states will provide up to EUR 8.1 billion in public funding, which is expected to unlock an additional EUR 13.7 billion in private investments. As part of this IPCEI, 56 companies, including small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups, will undertake 68 projects, a press release reads.
The IPCEI ME/CT concerns research and development projects covering microelectronics and communication technologies across the whole value chain – from materials and tools to chip designs and manufacturing processes.
These projects aim at enabling the digital and green transformation, firstly by creating innovative microelectronics and communication solutions, and secondly, by developing energy-efficient and resource-saving electronics systems and manufacturing methods.
First novel products may be introduced to the market as early as 2025 and the completion of the overall project is planned for 2032, with timelines varying in function of the project and the companies involved. Around 8.700 direct jobs are expected to be created, and many more indirect ones, the Commission states in the press release.
"Microelectronics and communication technologies are the backbone of any modern electronic device from mobile phones to medical equipment. This Important Project of Common European interest is the largest approved so far and the second on microelectronics. Innovation is essential to help Europe economy become greener and more resilient. But innovation can come with risks that the market alone is not ready to take. This is why State aid should be made available to fill such a gap," says Margrethe Vestager.
