European Chips Act sparks Croatia collaboration

European Chips Act sparks collaboration in Croatia

ZAGREB, 3 Feb (Hina) – The Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER) and the Belgian Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (imec) on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding in cooperation in the project of a future centre of competence for semi-conductors in Croatia.

The faculty and imec, a leading global institute for research and development in nano-electronics and digital technologies, have been cooperating for years, and they will boost their cooperation in this project to be implemented within the European Chips Act.

The faculty’s dean, Vedran Bilas said today that there are 20-30 students  at this faculty that focus on this topic and there are also students and researchers at other faculties in Croatia who go in for nanoelectronics. We are sure that Croatia has the know-how and talents to contribute to the European chips industry, Bilas stressed.

The memorandum symbolically ushers in a new era in the cooperation between FER and imec, said the dean.

The future centre is envisaged within the project and in the coming months the Croatian ministry of economy and sustainable development is expected to advertise a public call for the project.

The plans are designed within the European Chips Act, adopted in late 2023, which will set aside €43 billion for investments in projects that will enable the EU to improve its position in the global chips production.

Representatives of the Croatian ministries of economy and of science attended the memorandum-signing ceremony and on that occasion emphasised the importance of cooperation in the semiconductor industry.

Imec’s director-general for strategy, Jo De Boeck,  pointed out the significance of the document for both institutions. and for the entire EU chips industry.