09.06.2026
Northern targets included in the European Chips Act 2.0 strategy for microelectronics
The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia participated on 3 June. the European Semiconductor Regions Association (ESMA)European Semiconductor Regions Alliance) at the General Assembly, where the first version of the future EU Chips Act 2.0 strategy was presented. It aims to increase the EU’s strategic self-sufficiency by accelerating European chip production and design. The strategy will contribute to shaping EU investments in microelectronics for the future programming period, including in the northern region, and will thus be an important instrument for regional development.
Active involvement in the ESFA creates new networks and opportunities for businesses in the regions, which are particularly valuable in terms of the high investment costs associated with the production of microelectronics. Collaboration with different European regions provides access to resources that would otherwise often be inaccessible, as highlighted by the Director for Microelectronics and Photonics of the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CNET) of the European Commission. Pierre Chastanet 's (CNECT) in speech.
the ESRA General Assembly the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia Janne Remes (University of Oulu), Tapani Lähdesmäki (Business Oulu) and Unna Löppönen (EU Office for Eastern and Northern Finland). They also had a meeting with Henna Virkkunen, Special Adviser to the Cabinet of the Commissioner for Technological Self-sufficiency, Security and Democracy. Silvia Bartolin 's with. The meeting focused on issues and needs related to the development of microelectronics in the northern region. The key question at the meeting was what are the spearheads of the development of the northern region in the new programming period and what are the EU's responses to the growing squeezing of microelectronics in the US and Asian countries. Development activities and investments related to the design of microcircuits and the utilisation of artificial intelligence, as well as the development of safety-related technology, are particularly important for our region. Oulu is one of Finland's leading research and industrial centres specialising in radio frequency (RF) microelectronics and wireless technologies.
ESRA is a cooperation network of 37 European regions, to which Northern Ostrobothnia joined in 2025.
