04.07.2025
Council of Oulu Region joins the Semiconductor Regions Alliance
The Council of Oulu Region has joined the European Semiconductor Regions Alliance, ESRA.
ESRA is a collaboration of 36 European regions, which aims to identify and help remove obstacles to the strategic development of the sector by improving the legislative framework, promoting public and private investments, supporting knowledge sharing and the creation and maintenance of strong and sustainable value chains.
The second General Assembly of ESRA was held in Brussels on 3 July. In this context, Council of Oulu Region’s membership was confirmed. The meeting was held at the premises of the EU Committee of the Regions, and the opening speech of the meeting was given by the President of the Committee of the Regions, Ms. Kata Tüttő.
Speaking at the meeting, Pierre Chastanet, Director of the Microelectronics and Photonics Industry Unit of the European Commission DG Connect, emphasized that the corona period revealed the dependence and vulnerability of the EU and the regions on the supplies of a few companies and third countries. In order to improve resilience and increase its self-sufficiency, the EU launched legislation on chips, the EU Chips Act. Its purpose is to improve the EU’s relative position in competition with, for example, China and the United States.
Chip production is directly linked to the EU’s economic and digital sovereignty and competitiveness. The semiconductor and microelectronics industry has been elevated to a key industry sector at the EU level for future competitiveness.
The Oulu region is the second most important semiconductor and microelectronics region in Finland after the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. The success of the sector is of central importance for the region’s economic growth and employment. The sector is also strategically significant.
The Council of Oulu region’s joining ESRA strengthens our position as an innovative region for the European semiconductor industry. Membership enables the building of European partnerships. It is also a signal to the region’s businesses and research and education institutions that we are committed to supporting them.
For more information, please contact Hanna Honkamäkilä, Manager of International Affairs, 040 685 4040
ESRA website
