2023-07-13 11:12:10
FEEI is pleased regarding the clear commitment to strengthening globally relevant key technologies – research and production in microelectronics will be strengthened
Vienna (OTS) – At the invitation of Chancellor Karl Nehammer, representatives of the Federal Government and the microelectronics industry met on July 13 for a summit in the Federal Chancellery. The top-class group discussed the current situation and future developments in domestic microelectronics and agreed on an important investment program.
Indispensable key technology
The key technology microelectronics enables almost all fields of application of our daily life, ensures the maintenance of critical infrastructure and is a lever for innovative and sustainable solutions to achieve climate goals. It leads to enormous added value, enables strategic autonomy in global competition, thus ensuring security, stability and prosperity and makes a massive contribution to greater sustainability.
Microelectronics hotspot Austria
In the last few decades, Austria has achieved a leading European position in microelectronics. A study commissioned by Joanneum Research and an AIT study show that Austria is Europe’s number 1 in the field of electronic components, measured in terms of total added value, total employment and research & development. This leading position needs to be strengthened in order to continue to be able to keep up as an attractive business location in both European and global competition.
Massive global competition
“We are in an enormous global competition,” says FEEI chairman Wolfgang Hesoun. “The USA, China and Taiwan have been investing massively in the development and expansion of their own microelectronics industry for years. Recently it became known that Japan is also upgrading the sector with a multi-billion takeover. It is high time for Europe to keep up with well-known investments – on the basis of a pan-European strategy in order to avoid intra-European distortions of competition. Building on existing programs such as IPCEI Microelectronics II, Europe has set up another important instrument to strengthen European microelectronics with the EU Chips Act.”
Association: important decision at the right time
“The EU Parliament recently passed the Chips Act and thus sent an important signal at the right time. The mechanisms agreed in the Chips Act stipulate that further investments by domestic companies must be financed in the individual member states. Co-financing by the federal government is therefore decisive for Austria’s top companies,” says Sabine Herlitschka, Deputy Chairman of the FEEI. We cannot afford to lose our hard-earned top position, Austria’s competitiveness is at stake. “The chip crisis of the past few years has clearly shown how important and forward-looking research, development and production are for Austria and Europe. In this way, investments in microelectronics secure and create jobs with highly attractive job opportunities and thus social prosperity. Microelectronics is the basis for up to 50 percent of global gross domestic product, and the number of people employed in these key technologies has risen by over 15 percent to more than 72,000 in recent years. I am all the more pleased that the Austrian federal government is also united behind this important project and is promoting the business location and the industry along the entire value chain with a strong investment boost!”
Questions & contact:
FEEI – Association of the Electrical and Electronics Industry
MMag. Katrin Prüller-Nussbaumer
communication line
+43/1/588 39-61
prueller-nussbaumer@feei.at
www.feei.at
1689247082
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