Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1520956
MAY 2024 I PCB007 MAGAZINE 85 e Chips Act has been approved and published at the European level. We want the industry to have a united voice in educating policymak- ers on everything that happens beyond chips. IPC took a leading role in becoming the voice of electronics manufacturing in Europe. We are working with the leading industrial players and national business organizations, all voicing the same concerns and representing the same audience. IPC Europe is talking to policymak- ers and bringing everyone under the same umbrella. ere is a lack of knowledge by the regula- tors, the European Commission, and the Euro- pean Parliament on what electronics manufacturing is and what it takes to actually build a product. rough our efforts, we explain that chips are the beginning, not the end; a whole ecosystem is behind it. ere is a world supply chain that needs to be revived, to be present and available, and working to enable those companies in Europe to produce equip- ment. We need the OEMs, the EMS providers, and the first-, second-, and third- tier suppliers. We need the PCB manufacturers, equip- ment builders, and suppli- ers. Everyone needs to be aligned. Everyone is important in the supply chain. ere needs to be an industrial policy that recognizes and accounts for all that. I have heard from European industry mem- bers that having one voice was really needed. Yes, there was a gap and a need. Many national organizations are active on the topic, but they are active with their national flag. e nature of Europe makes it very complex, so we needed this pan-European perspective. at's what IPC has done, and it's very inclusive of all com- panies, players, trade associations, and national organizations. IPC has been successful there and we are proud to take that role. What about the European market? Europe is fairly dependent on automotive, and we've seen some fluctuations in that market. e European market has very different reali- ties depending on which vertical you're look- ing at and which player in the supply chain you're talking about. Europe has always been very active on the automobile and machinery side, but several European countries are very active in aerospace and military equipment as well, especially with the unfortunate and ongoing geopolitical conflicts in Ukraine and Israel. ere have been some challenging years with COVID, chip shortages, etc., but the fun- damentals of the market are good. e future is bright. Thank you so much, Philippe. I look forward to more conversations. ank you, Marcy. PCB007