At the 2023 EU Investment Forum in Taipei, Thomas Skordas, deputy chief of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content, and Technology, discussed the strategic objectives of the new European Chips Act. This aims to enhance Europe’s semiconductor supply chain by developing its own manufacturing capacity, diversifying sources, and strengthening cooperation with like-minded partners such as Taiwan.

Skordas highlighted areas of potential collaboration with Taiwan, including supporting research and innovation, creating conditions for industrial investment in Europe, and developing intelligence to monitor supply chains and address chip shortages. The EU seeks partnerships in areas that require significant efforts to overcome technological roadblocks, such as the transition to below 1-nanometer dimensions and the development of open-source hardware like RISC-V.

Additionally, Skordas mentioned the replacement of toxic chemical substances in semiconductor manufacturing and the challenges and opportunities in quantum technologies, particularly quantum computing. The EU aims to foster industry industrial investment, citing TSMC’s joint venture with NXP and Bosch to build a fab in Germany as an example of successful collaboration.

Futhermore, the EU is actively engaging in international cooperation to monitor supply chains and ensure reliable global supply and security. Skordas emphasized education and training as a continued area of EU-Taiwan cooperation, highlighting initiatives like exchange programs between European students and Taiwanese institutions. 

The European Chips Act represents a significant step towards building a robust semiconductor supply chain in Europe and strengthening collaboration with Taiwan and other like-minded partners.