The European Commissioner Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager has approved an Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) to support research, innovation and the first industrial deployment of microelectronics and communication technologies across the value chain.
The project, called IPCEI ME/CT, was jointly prepared and notified by fourteen Member States: Austria, Czechia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Spain.
The Member States will provide up to EUR 8.1 billion in public funding, which is expected to unlock additional EUR 13.7 billion in private investments. As part of this IPCEI, 56 companies, including small and medium-sized enterprises (‚SMEs‘) and start-ups, will undertake 68 projects.
IPCEI ME/CT
The IPCEI ME/CT concerns research and development projects covering microelectronics and communication technologies across the whole value chain from materials and tools to the chip designs and manufacturing processes.
These projects aim at enabling the digital and green transformation by: (i) creating innovative microelectronics and communication solutions, and (ii) developing energy-efficient and resource-saving electronics systems and manufacturing methods. They will contribute to the technological advancement of many sectors, including communications (5G and 6G), autonomous driving, artificial intelligence and quantum computing. They will also support companies active in the energy generation, distribution and use in their green transition.
First novel products may be introduced to the market as early as 2025 and the completion of the overall project is planned for 2032, with timelines varying in function of the project and the companies involved. Around 8.700 direct jobs are expected to be created, and many more indirect ones.
