Thomas Schmidt (DE/EPP), Member of the Saxon State Parliament, has been appointed rapporteur by the European Committee of the Regions’ ECON Commission for the opinion on the European Chips Act 2.0.
The opinion will contribute the perspective of Europe’s regions and cities to the debate on strengthening Europe’s semiconductor value chain, reducing strategic dependencies and reinforcing technological sovereignty.
The semiconductor industry is not only the technological heart of the European industry, but also a key component towards European sovereignty. With the review of the existing EU Chips Act and the presentation of Chips Act 2.0, the European Union faces the monumental task of utilising the insights gained regarding European supply chains, the promotion of the semiconductor ecosystem within the EU, and the development of semiconductor production capacities in the EU, in order to further expand and secure, in the long term, a technological leadership role in strategic sectors such as the automotive industry, the defense industry and the field of artificial intelligence (AI).
Reacting to the appointment, Thomas Schmidt said “I am grateful to have once again been entrusted, on behalf of the EPP-CoR Group, with serving as rapporteur for the European Chips Act. The European Chips Act is one of Europe’s most important industrial policy initiatives. It is not only about semiconductor manufacturing, but also about safeguarding value creation, fostering innovation, and strengthening Europe’s technological sovereignty.
"At a time of artificial intelligence, digital transformation and growing geopolitical tensions, we must continue to build on Europe’s strengths while reducing strategic dependencies. As rapporteur, I intend once again to bring the perspective of Europe’s regions into the debate and to help ensure that Europe remains competitive across the entire semiconductor value chain. Being entrusted with this important responsibility on behalf of the EPP Group is both a great honour and a significant responsibility.”
After the unanimous adoption of the opinion on the European Chips Act in 2022 for which Mr. Schmidt was the CoR's Rapporteur, Saxony subsequently continued to drive the issue forward in the European context by initiating the establishment of the European Semiconductor Regions Alliance (ESRA) and serving as its founding chair. The ESRA now has 40 member regions and continues to grow. It represents the interests of European semiconductor regions and sees itself as a partner to the European Commission in implementing the EU Chips Act.
Background information and next steps
Saxony is one of Europe’s leading microelectronics and semiconductor clusters. With the establishment of ESMC in Dresden as TSMC’s first European fab, as well as the expansions by Infineon and Global Foundries in Dresden, Europe’s influence in chip manufacturing has grown. Silicon Saxony brings together fabs, suppliers, research and development to form an ecosystem of industry and research institutions that harnesses practical expertise and regional networking.
The European Commission published its proposal for the EU Chips Act 2.0 on 3 June, revising the Chips Act adopted in 2023.
Key aspects for the EPPCoR Group on this file include securing funding for the Chips Act 2.0 in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) from 2028 onwards; securing the EU’s own digital leadership role in the field of AI through European manufacturing capacity for AI chips; increasing back-end production in Europe, such as packaging and testing, to enhance the resilience of supply chains and to ensure security of supply in the event of disruptions.
The CoR opinion is expected to be adopted before the end of 2026.
