ESRA LAUNCHED IN BRUSSELS
On September 7, 2023, the "European Semiconductor Regions Alliance (ESRA)" was established in Brussels.
During a joint session at the Committee of the Regions, members of the alliance finalized the establishment of the European Semiconductor Regions Alliance (ESRA) in Brussels on September 7, 2023. With 27 regions from 12 EU member states participating, the alliance aims to foster collaboration among semiconductor regions. The goal is to maximize the benefits of the European Chips Act (ECA) and aAract investments. In its operations, ESRA engages at the political level, serving as a regional platform and a partner to the European Commission in implementing the European Chips Act.
The creation of the EUROPEAN SEMICONDUCTOR REGIONS ALLIANCE is a significant move in anchoring European semiconductor regions at the highest political levels. Collaboratively developing these regional ecosystems is essential to achieving our set goals – raising Europe's global market share in this critical technology to 20%. This move will enhance Europe's autonomy, and globally, targets related to sustainability and combating global warming can be achieved with European technology.
- CEO of the Austrian SILICON ALPS Cluster Robert Gfrerer
"At the inaugural event, there was a particular emphasis on supporting the entire manufacturing and production chain, extending to manufacturers of production equipment and even packaging," Gfrerer reported from Brussels. "In this context, Austrian companies were highlighted for their expertise and investments."
ALLIANCE MEMBERS
The ESRA comprises 27 regions from 12 EU member states, connecting regions such as Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, and others in Germany; Andalusia, Basque Country, and more in Spain; regions in the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Belgium, France, Italy, Finland, Czech Republic, the UK, and the Republic of Ireland.
The alliance's initiation at the political level came from the State of Saxony, with the Austrian states of Styria and Carinthia also being part of the European Semiconductor Regions Alliance. As part of its establishment, a joint 10-point paper was signed (see attachment). "I am delighted to see that the European semiconductor industry now also receives maximum support at the political level," said Cluster head Robert Gfrerer about the launch event in Brussels. The SILICON ALPS Cluster is also a member of the SILICON EUROPE Alliance, a consortium of European electronics and IT clusters formed at the industrial level in 2015.