During this workshop, participants discussed the next steps in setting up competence centers in semiconductors. The event was organised by the European Commission in collaboration with the Polish authorities.

The workshop took place on Wednesday 30 November 2022, in a hybrid format, in Warsaw (Poland). Participants included representatives of companies, research organizations, national authorities, and other stakeholders with interests in the semiconductor sector.

The setting up of competence centers in semiconductors is a crucial element of the Chips for Europe Initiative, the first pillar of the proposed European Chips Act. A competence center is a single entity or a coordinated group of entities with complementary expertise, and with not-for-profit objectives, which will be providing services to semiconductor stakeholders, particularly SMEs and mid-caps.

Examples include facilitating access to pilot lines and to the design platform, providing training and skills development, support to finding investors, making use of existing local competencies or reaching out to the relevant verticals. The services should be provided on an open, transparent and non-discriminatory basis.

Semiconductors competence centers could be located in either existing or new institutions across Member States. The goal is to have at least one competence center in each Member State, and each of them will serve as an entry point to the whole European network.

The workshop included three sessions: 

• The first session focused on the experiences of existing hubs and centers with similar objectives. 
• The second session featured input from companies and other stakeholders making use of the centers. 
• In the third session, the representatives of national authorities shared their views on setting up semiconductors competence centers.

Learn more about the workshop at digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/workshop-competence-centres-semiconductors