Should Europe Support Microelectronics?
In 2003, Europe was having the same discussion as it is having now – Should the E.U. subsidise microelectronics? And if so: Who should get the money?
In Berlin, at the 2003 meeting of MEDEA+ (the name of the then current series of EU R&D projects) the leaders of Europe’s tech industry made the case for support.
“It was thanks to programmes like JESSI and MEDEA that ASML is the No.1 lithography company despite having two formidable competitors in Japan (Canon and Nikon),” said Doug Dunn, then CEO of ASML and a MEDEA+ board member.
However, it was said, now there were stepped-up funding initiatives by the US, Japan, Taiwan and mainland China which could swamp Europe’s more modest support efforts.