ESIA represents the interests of the semiconductor industry to the European Institutions as well as other relevant stakeholders. Our advocacy activities, both at the European and International levels, cover a large number of areas relevant to the further growth of the rapidly evolving semiconductor industry.
ESIA activities include a large range of issues across the regulatory framework, such as industrial competitiveness, international trade, research and development, environmental and safety compliance, protection of intellectual property and anti-counterfeiting etc.
ESIA Members work in a number of committees:
Sustainability & Environment, Safety and Health
The European semiconductor industry cooperates on common environmental challenges through the ESH Committee. The committee focuses on engaging in policy issues related to the development of environmental legislation, its implementation and regulatory compliance issues affecting the industry manufacturing operations, and semiconductor products at both European and global level.
Competitiveness & Innovation
ESIA advocates for the creation of a level playing field vis-à-vis other regions of semiconductor production. New technologies may transfer both economy & society as we know it: it is important that the semiconductor industry remains involved in discussions on artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity & certification, the data economy, high-performance computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), as well as connected & automated driving.
The Competitiveness & Innovation Committee seeks to strengthen the dialogue with European institutions and stakeholder to establish the right framework conditions for investments, avoid overregulation in uncharted areas, and to ensure that the ‘valley of death’ is overcome.
International Trade
ESIA aims to facilitate cooperation between its members and to proactively represent the European semiconductor industry's issues related to international trade at both the European and global level. International trade issues, such as the elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade also play an important role. ESIA advocates open markets for all semiconductor products including e.g. semiconductors with encryption capabilities, multi-component ICs (MCOs) as well as further liberalisation in the context of the WTO, more specifically the Information Technology Agreement (ITA).
Intellectual Property
The semiconductor industry is one of the most R&D intensive industries. In such an environment Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) are essential to protect innovations and to ascertain that newly developed technology can be kept proprietary and, if desired, be exchanged against an appropriate compensation.
Anti-Counterfeiting
Semiconductor counterfeiting can create significant implications for national critical infrastructure and the safety, security and health of communities and the end consumers. ESIA is active together with its members, customs officials and other relevant stakeholders to tackle this issues.