La Cámara de Cuentas europea augura el fracaso del plan de fabricación de chips | Tecnología | EL PAÍS

Key Findings of the European Court of Auditors Report

The European Court of Auditors (ECA) released a report expressing significant doubt about the EU's ability to achieve its goal of a 20% share of the global microchip market by 2030. Despite acknowledging reasonable progress in implementing the European Chips Act, the ECA highlights a substantial gap between ambition and reality.

Challenges and Shortcomings

• Insufficient Funding: The €86 billion allocated under the European Chips Act falls significantly short of the hundreds of billions of euros invested by global competitors.
• Global Competition: Rapid technological advancements and intense geopolitical competition from regions like Asia and the United States hinder the EU's progress.
• Lack of Coordination: The report criticizes the lack of clear objectives and effective coordination among EU member states regarding investments and initiatives.
• Industry Concentration: The EU's semiconductor industry is concentrated among a few large companies, increasing the risk of significant repercussions should even a single project fail.
• External Dependencies: The EU faces dependencies on raw material imports, high energy costs, environmental concerns, and geopolitical tensions.

Annemie Turtelboom, president of the ECA's chamber, emphasizes the need for a realistic assessment and adaptation of the EU's long-term strategy. The report underscores that achieving the 20% market share would necessitate a four-fold increase in production capacity by 2030, a feat deemed highly improbable at the current pace.

Recommendations

The ECA recommends a thorough review of the EU's microchip strategy, incorporating necessary adjustments to address the identified shortcomings. This includes enhanced coordination among member states and a realistic assessment of funding needs, considering the investments by global competitors. The report highlights that this is not merely an economic matter, but an existential one for the EU.