IPC COMMUNITY 56 FALL 2023
ities in European value chains. In addition to
the SWOT analysis, the report lays out initial
policy recommendations and calls for further
dialogue amongst stakeholders and the gov-
ernment.
This report, delivered to DG GROW and the
electronics stakeholder industry community
in early August, is the result of sustained and
intensifying advocacy by IPC in Brussels over
a five-year period. It represents significant
progress, yet the most exciting and meaning-
ful achievements remain ahead as IPC works
with electronics manufacturers to restore the
strategic importance of our industry.
Background
In the past five years, IPC has intensified its
commitment to European government rela-
tions:
• IPC formed a European government rela-
tions committee and the appointment of
Alison James as our senior director of
government relations.
• In 2020, IPC launched an initiative to
bolster European Union (EU) support for
the electronics manufacturing industry.
This initiative emphasized direct engage-
ment with government
officials and new industry
research to support the
industry's policy goals.
• In 2021, IPC released Digi-
tal Directions, Greener Con-
nections. In explaining how
the EMS and PCB industries
drive innovation and eco-
nomic growth, the report
made a powerful argument
for a more holistic policy
approach to the electronics
manufacturing industry to
further the EU's digital and
green transitions.
The message in this report was important,
yet industrial policy in the EU was just begin-
ning a shift toward global developments. At
that stage, the focus in Europe (as in other
regions) turned to passage of its proposed
Chips Act. In working with our members,
IPC found new opportunities to explain the
importance of complementing investments in
semiconductors with investments in packag-
ing, PCB fabrication, and electronic assembly.
We were unrelenting in challenging govern-
ment leaders to move beyond the silicon-only
mindset and toward advancing silicon-to-
system industrial policies.
We found success. With IPC and industry
support, the European Parliament strength-
ened packaging provisions of the Chips Act
and included new provisions on assessing the
wider industrial base. These changes were sig-
nificant and signaled greater reflection by key
government leaders on the broader electron-
ics ecosystem.
This past April, IPC hosted a meeting of
industry stakeholders and government officials
from the European Commission and Euro-
pean Parliament. At this meeting, leaders from
across the electronics industry pressed for an
EU strategy to strengthen silicon-to-systems
