Europe and Japan are strengthening their cooperation in the semiconductor sector. FIT is also part of the JASMINE project

On Wednesday, April 15, an international project was officially launched with the aim of promoting cooperation between the European Union and Japan in the field of semiconductors. The JASMINE project (Japan and EU Semiconductors: Mutual Innovation & Excellence), funded by the European Union under the Chips Joint Undertaking program, will run until the end of 2027. Its goal is to support efforts to restore Europe’s global position in the semiconductor value chain while strengthening cooperation between the EU and Japan in related research and innovation initiatives. This should contribute to the European goal of increasing the global market share in semiconductors to 30% by 2030.

The JASMINE project is coordinated by the Irish research institute Tyndall National Institute, a leading player in the European semiconductor sector. The initiative brings together major European entities in the semiconductor field with close ties to Japan. Examples? The Dutch company ASML, the world’s largest supplier to the semiconductor industry; the French research center CNRS; and the Japanese company Tokyo Electron (TEL). Project partners will map semiconductor supply chains in the EU and Japan with the aim of identifying areas where the two sides complement each other, interdependencies, and new opportunities for joint research and development. The result of their efforts should be strategic investment recommendations and a plan to strengthen supply security. The project will also support talent development through employee exchange programs, job fairs, and collaboration between academia and industry.

The Faculty of Information Technology is also involved in the European project; the main coordinator of activities on its campus is Assoc. Prof. Pavel Smrž: “It is a prestigious project. We are pleased to be part of the European consortium; after all, it consists of individuals and institutions with extensive knowledge and expertise in the field of semiconductors. Moreover, many members have direct ties to the Japanese environment.” Smrž also refers to the existing ties between faculty researchers and universities in Osaka and Tokyo.

Seeking Complementarities and the First Step

The European Union and Japan are global leaders in advanced technologies, and their strengths complement each other in the field of semiconductors: Japan, for example, holds a leading position in materials science, manufacturing equipment, and chip packaging; the EU excels in research on semiconductor technologies, photonics, quantum technologies, and embedded applications. The goal of cooperation within the JASMINE project (an EU Coordination and Support Action) is to map out opportunities for complementarity and collaboration and to synchronize future steps. As a result (and in line with the objectives of the European Chips Act), these activities will help improve the resilience of the semiconductor supply chain, ensure economic security, and consolidate the EU’s and Japan’s leading technological position in the field. Given the current complicated state of the global economy and manufacturing, this is certainly no small feat.

Our researchers are contributing to the project with expertise in the fields of chip design and AI (the use of artificial intelligence in chip design and the design of chips for AI), as well as low-energy efficiency systems. Current “networking,” establishing new collaborations, and sharing know-how are the first in a series of steps, notes Pavel Smrž. “The CHIPS JU strategic initiative will likely follow up with calls for projects already in progress focused on specific research. We are currently in the first, coordination phase.” It should be added that the project also emphasizes supporting the mobility of researchers, engineers, and students between the two regions. Concurrently, the project will strengthen collaboration in the area of life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies for semiconductor manufacturing, thereby promoting the harmonization of regulations and a common framework for measuring environmental impact and supporting sustainable innovation.

Mircea Modreanu, project coordinator from the aforementioned Tyndall Institute, commented on the project’s significance: “Success in the semiconductor sector today requires fundamental, intensive collaboration. Through the JASMINE CHIPS JU project, we are aligning the unique strengths of the European and Japanese research ecosystems to address the semiconductor industry’s most pressing challenges. Our goal is to firmly embed long-term competitiveness and sustainability directly into the structure of semiconductor development. Tyndall is excited to contribute to advancing this mission.”

We are pleased that the Faculty of Information Technology is participating in a strategic initiative of such significance.

The JASMINE project of Chips JU has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program under GA No. 101291275