EU Chips Act: Key Intellectual Property Considerations

By Andrew Thompson and Mark Lubbock, EIP
EETimes Europe (March 3, 2023)

Semiconductor companies operating in the EU need to start thinking about what the Chips Act means for them.

The European Chips Act is the EU’s response to the global chip shortages we’ve seen since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The legislation proposes a series of initiatives to support semiconductor R&D and manufacturing in the EU, as well as a package of public and private investment worth up to €43 billion.

The act is currently making its way through the EU’s legislative process. It was first put to paper by the EU Commission in February 2022 and will shortly be debated in the EU Parliament. The act is expected to become law in the first half of 2023.

Semiconductor companies operating in the EU need to start thinking about what the Chips Act means for them. While most companies will find parts of the legislation that will support their businesses, they will need to consider various legal issues, not least with respect to intellectual property.

This article highlights some of the key areas that semiconductor companies should be thinking about ahead of the act’s coming into force.

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