On September 29, 2025, a significant milestone was reached in Europe’s ongoing quest for technological sovereignty and industrial resilience. Ministers from all European Union member states, joined by key industry leaders, gathered in Brussels to officially endorse the Declaration of the Semicon Coalition—a document that could reshape the continent’s semiconductor future. The declaration, presented to the European Commission during a session of the Competitiveness Council, calls for a comprehensive revision of the European Chips Act, now dubbed Chips Act 2.0. The move signals a unified European push to boost semiconductor production, research, skills, and strategic autonomy amid mounting global competition and supply chain uncertainties.
The Semicon Coalition itself was born just months earlier, in March 2025, when the Netherlands rallied Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain to issue a joint statement. Their goal? To reinforce cooperation and strengthen Europe’s competitiveness and autonomy in the vital semiconductor sector. According to Silicon Republic, the coalition’s vision quickly gained traction, and by September, every EU member state had thrown its weight behind the initiative, culminating in the formal endorsement of the declaration in Brussels.
So, what’s at stake for Europe’s chip ambitions? As Diplo explains, the declaration outlines five central priorities: collaboration, investment, skills, sustainability, and global partnerships. These priorities are designed not only to address Europe’s current vulnerabilities but also to position the continent as a leader in critical technologies that underpin everything from artificial intelligence to automotive innovation, energy grids, and defense systems.
Vincent Karremans, the Dutch minister who spearheaded the coalition, presented the declaration to the European Commission, emphasizing the urgency of the moment. He described the strategy as “Europe’s response to global tensions and its commitment to boosting semiconductor capacity, research funding, and readiness for demand in AI, automotive, energy, and defense.” Karremans’s words echoed the broader sentiment among European policymakers: the continent can no longer afford to lag behind in a sector that is increasingly seen as the backbone of modern economies and national security.
Over fifty leading European and international semiconductor players have already endorsed the declaration, lending industry muscle to the political momentum. This broad-based support, as noted by Diplo, strengthens the coalition’s call to place end-markets at the core of the EU’s semiconductor strategy and aligns with recommendations from Mario Draghi’s recent report on European competitiveness.
Among the most vocal supporters was Ireland’s Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Enterprise, Peter Burke. Standing alongside his European counterparts on September 29, Burke declared, “This morning I am proud to stand with my European colleagues in endorsing the Declaration of the European Semiconductor Coalition. And I join with them in calling for a revitalised European Chips Act to secure Europe’s place at the forefront of the global semiconductor industry.” Burke went further, highlighting Ireland’s own ambitions through its Silicon Island strategy, which aims to expand manufacturing and boost research and development in the sector. “This is Europe’s moment to align national ambitions with a shared vision: to build a semiconductor ecosystem which secures our sovereignty, drives innovation while ensuring prosperity for generations to come,” Burke stated, adding that Ireland is “fully committed to this vision.”
The declaration’s policy blueprint is both ambitious and pragmatic. It calls for aligning EU and national funding streams, accelerating approvals for strategic projects, cultivating a robust European talent pipeline, and promoting circular, energy-efficient manufacturing practices. The emphasis on sustainability is particularly noteworthy, as Europe seeks to lead not just in chip production but also in green, responsible manufacturing. At the same time, the coalition aims to deepen international partnerships with like-minded global partners, all while safeguarding European strategic autonomy—a delicate balancing act in the fiercely competitive world of semiconductors.
According to Silicon Republic, the Semicon Declaration urges the European Commission to pursue three overarching objectives in the upcoming revision of the Chips Act: prosperity (to generate economic and societal value), indispensability (to maintain and enhance leadership in key segments of the value chain), and resilience (to ensure supply chain stability and technological autonomy). These objectives reflect hard-learned lessons from recent years, when global chip shortages exposed Europe’s dependence on external suppliers and its vulnerability to geopolitical shocks.
The original European Chips Act, which entered into force on September 21, 2023, was already a major step toward strengthening the continent’s semiconductor ecosystem. It focused on boosting research and innovation funding through the Chips for Europe Initiative, building new manufacturing capacity with so-called “first-of-a-kind” facilities, and establishing a crisis response mechanism for supply chain disruptions. Yet as the semiconductor landscape evolves at breakneck speed, policymakers and industry leaders alike have recognized the need for a bolder, more integrated approach—hence the push for Chips Act 2.0.
One of the declaration’s key strengths lies in its emphasis on talent. Building a skilled workforce is seen as essential to Europe’s long-term competitiveness. The coalition’s plan to foster a robust talent pipeline in semiconductor technologies includes collaboration among industry, research institutions, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and startups. As the declaration puts it, “Skills: build a robust European talent pipeline in semiconductor technologies.” This focus on people as much as technology reflects a broader understanding that innovation is driven by human capital as much as by investment or infrastructure.
The coalition’s call to action is not merely rhetorical. There is already a public consultation underway on the Chips Act 2.0 revision, open until November 2025. This process invites stakeholders from across the continent to weigh in on how best to secure Europe’s technological future. As Silicon Republic reports, the European Commission has welcomed the declaration, describing it as “a strong signal of member states’ commitment to fostering an innovative, competitive and resilient semiconductor ecosystem in Europe.”
Looking ahead, the stakes could hardly be higher. The demand for semiconductors is expected to soar as artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, and advanced defense technologies become ever more central to Europe’s economy and security. By aligning national ambitions with a shared European vision, the coalition hopes to ensure that the continent is not left behind in the global race for technological leadership.
As the dust settles from the Brussels summit, one thing is clear: Europe’s semiconductor ambitions have moved from aspiration to action. With the full backing of its member states, industry heavyweights, and a clear policy roadmap, the Semicon Coalition has set the stage for a new era of European leadership in one of the world’s most critical industries.
