The University of Barcelona, the Autonomous University of Barcelona, the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, the University of Girona, Rovira i Virgili University, the Spanish National Research Council’s (CSIC) Institute of Microelectronics of Barcelona (IMB-CNM) and the Eurecat technology centre are the entities that make up the FabCat initiative, which promotes Catalonia as the site of one of the semiconductor factories that will be built in the European Union. Now, the universities and research centres are celebrating the Spanish government’s announcement to launch a new strategic project for recovery and economic transformation (PERTE) on microchips and semiconductors, which will receive a public investment of over 11 billion euros from NextGenerationEU funds.
The universities and research centres have participated in FabCat together with the Barcelona and Girona chambers of commerce, supplier companies and volunteer groups coordinated by the Tecnoateneu in Vilablareix. FabCat has emphasised that Catalonia has the technological knowledge and human resource expertise necessary to design and apply microchip technology. Moreover, it has highlighted the availability of the material means and industrial land with the most demanding requirements to accommodate a large semiconductor manufacturing project.
The microchip industry is a strategic sector with great potential. According to the European Commission’s work programme for 2022, published on 19 October 2021, a draft of the European Chips Act will be published during the second quarter of 2022. Having electronic components, the scarcity of which has become apparent in recent months, is a strategic priority for strengthening the European continent in the face of today’s technological and digital challenges.
