On Thursday, 5 June, under the Catalan Presidency of the Four Motors for Europe, the 4ME Economy Working Group held its first thematic meeting to explore future collaboration on semiconductors. The event reaffirmed the network’s shared commitment to advancing innovation through joint initiatives aligned with the priorities of the Catalan Presidency

The meeting was led by the Catalan Ministry of Business and Labour, with participation from the Ministry for European Union and Foreign Action, alongside regional representatives from Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Baden-Württemberg, and Lombardy.

During the meeting, Roger Costa —Manager of Strategic Projects at the Directorate General of Industry (ACCIÓ) and coordinator of the Catalan Semiconductor Alliance—presented the Catalan semiconductor ecosystem and proposed avenues for collaboration through the Four Motors for Europe.

Driving European Leadership in Semiconductor Innovation

The semiconductor industry is key for ensuring European Union competitiveness and independence in an increasingly complex geopolitical context. Leading regions in semiconductor production and research, such as the Four Motors, have a key role to play in coordinating efforts to consolidate this industry on a European scale.

Preliminary proposals focused on fostering synergies through initiatives planned under the Catalan Presidency of the Four Motors for Europe, including an in-person meeting on the occasion of Europe Semiconductor Regions Alliance (ESRA) Handover Event in Barcelona this November, joint business opportunities within a Business Connections initiative 2026, and potential participation in projects such as the Regional Innovation Valley (RIV).

Catalan Presidency explores Semiconductor Collaboration within the 4ME for EU Autonomy

These initiatives align with the strategic block “Leading innovation in advanced technologies” of the Catalan Presidency Programme, particularly within the line of action “Promotion of collaboration in the semiconductor industry to strengthen the European Union’s strategic autonomy”.

The overall aim of this collaboration is to jointly tackle future opportunities and challenges, as well as to define coordinated actions that enhance competitiveness, technological sovereignty, and productive capacity in the microchip sector—covering areas such as value chain integration, access to funding, infrastructure, talent development and exchange, and technology transfer.