Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1456062
34 SMT007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2022 Feature Interview by Nolan Johnson I-CONNECT007 e United States is not the only region to feel the sting of losing the bulk of its printed circuit board manufacturing to Asia. European countries, such as France, recognize the dire need to modernize their factories, upskill their labor force, and provide for a more secure sup- ply chain. But what are governments doing to help? In this conversation with Nolan John- son, IPC Europe's Alison James breaks down the tremendous potential for a partnership between the U.S. and Europe and what that means for a stronger global industry. Nolan Johnson: Alison, I'm looking for some insight regarding the European perspective on strategic government investment. How are regions outside the United States handling this same sort of a challenge, compared to the U.S.? Alison James: I presume you're looking at the CHIPS for America Act for this context? Johnson: I believe there are three pieces of leg- islation that have language for semiconductor development. Of course, IPC is very involved in the conversation, trying to communicate that one can't just focus on chips. A similar conversation certainly must be going on else- where. I keep hearing about the French legisla- tion, for example. James: It absolutely is. I'll give you a tiny bit of perspective. e silicon-to-systems approach that we're taking in Europe is the approach that IPC takes everywhere. Last week, the European Commission pro- posed a European CHIPS Act that, in theory, is going in a similar direction as the United States. In Europe, everybody's still looking at the details of this proposal because it's a large package. On a really positive note, the EU recognizes in its proposal the importance of advanced packaging. Lean on Me: A U.S.-Europe Partnership