SEMI Europe advises against export controls
The semiconductor trade body SEMI has issued a stark warning to European Union politicians: think carefully before you copy the US's sanctions on chip exports.
SEMI Europe set out its position in an advisory paper published this week. It argued that while the EU is right to consider the risks of geopolitical rivals appropriating its technology, it should still consider free trade as the best way to ensure security.
SEMI Europe set out its position in the context of the US's growing export sanctions against China. The US government has introduced restrictions that make it harder for Chinese companies to get access to the machines needed to make the advanced chips need to make next-gen AI applications, data centres and military tech.
SEMI warned that heavy-handed sanction could "undermine the potential success of the European Chips Act." This act It entered into force on 21 September 2023 to ensure the resilience of supply chains and reduce external dependencies. The EU has set a target of doubling its global market share in semiconductors to 20% by the end of the decade.
"In light of the recent geopolitical tensions, and the prominent role that export controls in the semiconductor industry have played in this, it has become increasingly necessary for the EU to speak with a common voice," SEMI said. "Export controls should indeed be a last resort for cases with genuine concerns for national security."
