The National Semiconductor Strategy aims, among other things, to have 9,000 experts by 2029 and to build a national competence centre

The government approved National Semiconductor Strategy. It is a document that is intended to help the Czech Republic become one of the European centres of chip production. The document defines specific objectives and dozens of corresponding measures to achieve this goal. The new strategy builds on the European Chip Act and was developed under the leadership of the Ministry of Industry and Trade in close cooperation with the Office of the Minister for Science, Research and Innovation. Research and innovation is one of the five strategic areas the strategy aims to develop. The strategy aims to increase the number of professionals in the sector to 9,000 and to triple the size of the country's semiconductor sector by the end of 2029.

"The need to build our own European semiconductor capabilities must be obvious to everyone today. Most production is currently concentrated in Taiwan, which represents a huge vulnerability. The Czech Republic can play an important role in this capacity building and has much to build on. We are already a key sub-supplier of advanced technologies used in chip manufacturing, we will have a development centre here and our experts are of high quality. The problem is capacity and quantity. We need to attract investors, talent and build our own. The strategy clearly defines this as our task," said the Minister for Science, Research and Innovation Marek Ženíšek.

Objectives and measures

1. Implement the measures defined by the European Chip Act by the end of 2026.
2. By the end of 2029, increase the share of semiconductor technologies in the Czech Republic's exports by 200 % compared to 2022.
3. Ensure at least CZK 300 million per year for research and development in the field of semiconductors by the end of 2029.
4. By the end of 2029, there will be at least 9,000 semiconductor professionals working in the Czech economy.
5. By the end of 2029, in financial terms, the production of semiconductor components in the Czech Republic will increase by at least 300 % compared to 2022.

The strategy defines specific actions to achieve these objectives. These include the establishment of a national competence centre, the decision to join the pilot lines programme by the end of 2024, increased emphasis on the promotion of Czech semiconductor technologies abroad through the CzechInvest and CzechTrade agencies, or the preparation of a programme of targeted support for research in the field of semiconductors.

The strategy also emphasizes building human capital, and to this end, it recommends the implementation of a STEM promotion system in primary and secondary schools by the end of 2026, as well as the promotion of relevant fields of study. In addition, the strategy talks about the fact that six new companies in the semiconductor sector should be established in the country by the end of 2029 in order to increase production sufficiently.

VVI/ gnews - RoZ