Danny Moreno, CEO of Wiyo and president of AESEMI, considers the economic approved PERTE necessary to build a strong and independent semiconductor ecosystem

The tenth strategic project to be launched by the government as part of the recovery plan will focus on developing the microchip and semiconductor industry, a sector considered strategic and for which Spain and Europe are currently paying the price of depending on external supplies that do not meet the needs of industry, including the automotive industry.

The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, announced yesterday the approval of a new Strategic Project for Economic Recovery and Transformation (PERTE) on microchips and semiconductors with 11,000 million euros of public investment.

“Semiconductors are a basic element of all energy sectors and acquire a global geostrategic importance in a context of digital transformation”, said the president during his speech at the second edition of the Wake Up, Spain! symposium.

The aim of this PERTE is to attract investment for the semiconductor industry and related new technologies that will be decisive in achieving strategic autonomy at European level. Sánchez defined it as “an ambitious commitment” to be at the forefront of the race for the most advanced technology. “The government wants our country to be at the forefront of industrial and technological progress,” added the president.

This is an objective shared by the sector because they believe that it will serve to promote a technological hub in Spain. “This money is intended to strengthen the ecosystem. Not one or another specific company, but the entire semiconductor ecosystem,” says Danny Moreno, president of the Spanish Semiconductor Industry Association (Aesemi) and CEO of Wiyo. The aim is to create an independent and autonomous system in a sector considered strategic. “We believe in the advantages of creating the hub in Spain. We have everything that can be required and advantages in terms of location and quality of life,” adds Dani Moreno.

An open ecosystem but one that guarantees that, at any time, there is the capacity to supply the necessary skills, that guarantees autonomy. “We want to ensure that if there is a crisis or if there is a lack of components, we can supply them from Spain. There is no problem in having components from Asia, but we must not give the option that their lack could have an impact on the industry. In other words, if there is a shortage of these components, we have the capacity to supply them,” Moreno adds.

This PERTE would be added to the other nine already underway, which include the electric car, health, agri-food and water digitalisation.