Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe: Chips Joint Undertaking
The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy adopted the report by Eva MAYDELL (EPP, BG) on the proposal for a Council regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe, as regards the Chips Joint Undertaking.
The committee recommended the European Parliament to approve the Commission proposal as amended.
The report stressed that reinforcing Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem is one of the key components to achieving economic resilience and security, strategic autonomy, enhanced digital sovereignty and reduced dependencies; and will play an important role in the green and digital transitions.
The Chips Joint Undertaking should seek to:
- ensure clear and identifiable benefits across the semiconductor ecosystem;
- contribute to and reflect the Union’s core values, including privacy by design, trust, security, safety, sustainability, and growing skills and quality employment at all levels of the value chain. The activities of the Chips Joint Undertaking should work effectively alongside the broader objectives of the Chips Fund, in order to support the development of a dynamic and resilient semiconductor ecosystem;
- provide opportunities for the increased availability of funds to support the growth of start-ups and SMEs as well as investment across the entire value chain and Union, contributing to achieving the twin digital and green transitions.
Additional objectives of the Chips Joint Undertaking
In addition to the main objectives, the report proposes that the Chips Joint Undertaking should have the following specific objectives:
- build up design capacities for integrated semiconductor, quantum technologies and other cutting-edge technologies such as photonics;
- support the green transition by ensuring that environmental considerations are taken into account in the development and implementation of R&D&I, such as increased energy and water efficiency;
- promote STEM education, in particular women’s participation in R&D&I;
- foster open science and public visibility and ensure that the R&D&I activities are aimed at providing a positive impact upon society.
Funding
According to Members, the Initiative should be provided with the adequate and necessary funding to be able to achieve its ambitious objectives. In order to achieve the greatest possible positive impact of Union funding and the most effective contribution to the Union’s policy objectives, the Chips Joint Undertaking and the Chips Fund should seek to maximise the potential of private and/or public sector partners. Such partners should include industry, R&D&I and technology organisations, bodies with a public service mission at local, regional, national or international level, and civil society organisations, such as foundations that support and/or carry out R&D&I, provided that desired impacts can be achieved more effectively in partnership than by the Union alone.