Chips Diplomacy Support Initiative

Expected Impact:

The proposals are expected to deliver the following results:

• regular dialogues and informal consultations with key global partners on semiconductor topics of shared or converging interests,
• insights and briefings from relevant industry and civil society actors to support and inform official governmental dialogues and decisions,
• concrete engagement on mutual awareness, dissemination, and convergence between the policies and best practices of the EU and those of partner countries,
• actual channels for requesting stakeholders to reach out to delegations in other countries,
• support and complement the Commission’s ongoing work in Economic Security as they pertain to semiconductors and semiconductor technologies,
• intelligence analysis on semiconductor ecosystems at national and local level,
• reports and briefings for the Commission to support the activity of the European Semiconductor Board,
• consensus with partner countries on actual activity to enhance supply chain resilience,
• mapping and monitoring large and small players of the supply and value chains,
• identification of key players in the semiconductor ecosystem.

Scope:

The projects shall enhance coordination and confidence-building among Union stakeholders and partners on strategic themes of the mentioned work-streams and shall include the following topics to be deemed as priority:

• EU-foreign countries trade,
• trade protective measures,
• export control,
• intellectual property protection,
• main European semiconductor ecosystem actors
• supply chain intelligence,
• supply chain resilience,
• standards and certification
• green innovation and its industrial and environmental impact.

Activities that can be funded:

The work streams previously mentioned can be detailed with the following indicative list of activities:

• Work-stream dialogue: the core activity of this pilot action is the organisation of consultation meetings with key global partners on semiconductor topics of shared or converging interests. In contrast to the official diplomacy that can already be undertaken for example by the governing and managing bodies foreseen and set up by the Chips Act, this track 2 diplomacy is unofficial in nature, involves industry and is facilitated by a neutral and independent third party, for example a civil society organisation. This approach can offer faster and informal channels of communication with strategic partners.
• Work-stream research: briefings, analysis and research to support and inform the consultations and other forms of engagement, and joint research initiatives with stakeholders from partner countries to inform the mapping, the identification of key market actors, and monitoring efforts of the value and supply chain.
• Work-stream advocacy: dedicated outreach and public diplomacy channels to disseminate and promote Union chips policies, interests, and achievements in Europe and abroad e.g. at conferences, via social media, traditional media, written publications, and other channels; organization of public events to increase visibility of the sector and awareness of its impact on the market and daily life.
• Work-stream research: studies to support and inform intelligence on the Union's investment and export control frameworks and its coordination with strategic partners with specific focus on the risk assessment and other proposals emanating from the European Economic Security Package.

The following types of activities are eligible under this call for proposals:

• conferences, seminars, webinars
• awareness and dissemination actions
• actions aiming at the exchanges of good practices
• networking activities
• studies, analyses, mapping projects
• research activities
• bi- and multi-lateral meetings with stakeholders
• social and traditional media
• drafting of reports
• organization of tabletop exercises.