The EU needs to boost production of semiconductors and minimise reliance on imports from countries such as Taiwan and South Korea, the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said in a speech in Germany on Tuesday.
“We need more mass production here in Europe,” said Ms von der Leyen at the opening of a new plant owned by German semiconductor producer Infineon Technologies in Dresden. The factory will produce semiconductors “on a large scale” from 2026, she added.
The Covid-19 pandemic and Europe’s abrupt reduction of Russian energy imports after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine last year have incentivised the continent to become more self-reliant.
Brussels last year announced a €43 billion ($47 billion) plan — the Chips Act — to boost its semiconductor industry and catch up with the US and Asia.
Ms von der Leyen described semiconductors, electronic chips used in products including wind turbines and smartphones, as “an indispensable component in Europe’s sustainable and digital future”.
South Korea and Taiwan are the world’s main producers of semiconductors.
Yet “tensions can flare up at any time” in the region, Ms von der Leyen warned, in an apparent reference to recent fears of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
“The slightest disruption to trade would immediately hit Europe’s strong industrial base and our internal market hard,” she said.
“We are all experiencing how drastically geopolitical risks have grown. This is why it is vital that we in Europe strengthen the supply chains of our most important goods and technologies.”
The EU’s relations with China are currently tense and worsened after Beijing’s assertion of a “no-limits” friendship with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.
In a visit to China in March, Ms von der Leyen warned China’s relations with Russian would “be a determining factor for EU-China relations going forward”. She described Beijing as “becoming more repressive at home and more assertive abroad”.
The Chinese capital last month held a three-day military drill after a meeting between Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing Wen and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
In Dresden, Ms von der Leyen highlighted that China accounts for 76 per cent of the silicon metals commonly used in chip production. “This dependence on individual raw material suppliers is a risk,” she said.
In a sign of tensions between China and the West, Dutch semiconductor giant ASML was pressured by the US into restricting exports of some equipment to China. ASML dominates the market for lithography equipment used for making semiconductors.
European leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron have made repeated calls for Europe to boost its industry as China and the US launch mass industrial support programmes.
Ms von der Leyen invited the EU to develop partnerships with countries it perceives as sharing the same values, including Australia, the US and Canada, to create alternatives.
“The push towards globalisation in recent decades has seen the economic regions of the world focus too much on their own strengths," she said. "For example, Europe has developed its expertise in research and development, and in industrial applications.
“However, what has long been far from a priority is the mass production of semiconductors, without which everything will ultimately grind to a halt.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
More coverage from the Future Forum
More coverage from the Future Forum
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
How to vote
Canadians living in the UAE can register to vote online and be added to the International Register of Electors.
They'll then be sent a special ballot voting kit by mail either to their address, the Consulate General of Canada to the UAE in Dubai or The Embassy of Canada in Abu Dhabi
Registered voters mark the ballot with their choice and must send it back by 6pm Eastern time on October 21 (2am next Friday)
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
Company Profile
Company name: Fine Diner
Started: March, 2020
Co-founders: Sami Elayan, Saed Elayan and Zaid Azzouka
Based: Dubai
Industry: Technology and food delivery
Initial investment: Dh75,000
Investor: Dtec Startupbootcamp
Future plan: Looking to raise $400,000
Total sales: Over 1,000 deliveries in three months
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
MATCH INFO
Liverpool 4 (Salah (pen 4, 33', & pen 88', Van Dijk (20')
Leeds United 3 (Harrison 12', Bamford 30', Klich 66')
Man of the match Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
The five pillars of Islam
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Off-roading in the UAE: How to checklist
ABU%20DHABI'S%20KEY%20TOURISM%20GOALS%3A%20BY%20THE%20NUMBERS
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Read more from Aya Iskandarani
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The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela
Edited by Sahm Venter
Published by Liveright
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Profile of RentSher
Started: October 2015 in India, November 2016 in UAE
Founders: Harsh Dhand; Vaibhav and Purvashi Doshi
Based: Bangalore, India and Dubai, UAE
Sector: Online rental marketplace
Size: 40 employees
Investment: $2 million
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
65
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if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Seoul from Dh3,775 return, including taxes
The package
Ski Safari offers a seven-night ski package to Korea, including five nights at the Dragon Valley Hotel in Yongpyong and two nights at Seoul CenterMark hotel, from £720 (Dh3,488) per person, including transfers, based on two travelling in January
The info
Visit www.gokorea.co.uk
