Without chips, there’s no industrial autonomy and no leadership in clean tech! How can Europe avoid falling behind?

REGISTRATION

AGENDA

• Date & time: 9 April 2025 (18h00 - 20h10 CET)
• Venue:  tbd
• Language: English
• Partner: FES Just Climate
• The panels include Stephan Thome (Philosopoher & Author), Isabelle Barthès (Senior Policy Adviser, industriALL), Janine Dobelmann (Head of Government Affairs EU, NXP Semiconductors & Board Member at the European Semiconductor Industry Association, ESIA), Tiemo Wölken (Member of European Parliament, S&D), Tim Rühlig (Senior Analyst, European Union Institute for Security Studies, EUISS).
• Moderated by Shada Islam, journalist.

For Europe, the establishment of a robustsemiconductor ecosystem is a vital economic priority, specifically when it comes to driving innovation in clean tech. In an era of increasing geopolitical upheaval and a growing weaponisation of trade policy, however, the European semiconductor industry faces multiple challenges that go above and beyond the scope of the original 2023 Chips Act. Semiconductors are not only an essential building block in all electronic products - they are key to industrial competitiveness and the driving element in ongoing global industrial competition.

To ensure clean tech and digitalisation remain a driving force for job creation and prosperity, Europe needs to act faster and more strategically, at home and at the global level. The EU and its Member States have to make tough decisions on the type of semiconductors, the architecture for a common European supply chain, the innovation enablers needed and the financial resources it is prepared to invest. At the same time, from an outside perspective, it needs to ensure access to various components in the value chain, starting with raw materials, while navigating potential conflicts between the Trump administration and China.

FES Future of Work and FES Just Climate are organising this conference in Brussels on 9 April to jointly seek answers to these questions. The event will bring together experts from EU institutions, trade unions, think tanks and civil society as well as representatives from the business sector to explore the question: How can the EU avoid falling behind and instead drive and lead innovation in clean tech, achieve industrial autonomy and create jobs in this growth sector, while balancing relations with key players like the US and China ?

We look forward to your participation.

If you have any questions please contact Oliver Philipp and about the logistics, please contact Ha-Thu Mai.