Robert Moore
Europe is a favorable place for the microprocessor industry to grow and flourish: the region has numerous strengths throughout the value chain, such as top-tier research and a supportive scale-up environment. The current reality, however, matches neither the ambition nor the potential. The region trails behind global competitors in the sector, as investments and profits are primarily dominated by the U.S. European entities exhibit a weak presence at critical supply chain bottlenecks. Analysts trace the origins of the problem to investment gaps and difficulties in translating R&D strengths into manufacturing and commercialization. And no less important, global tensions between the U.S. and China contribute substantially.
The geopolitical clash isn’t just about trade deficits or tariffs; it’s a technological arms race with profound implications for global power. Consider the recent U.S. restrictions on the import of graphics processing units (GPUs), used in various kinds of computer data processing, or another series of technology export constraints imposed by China. For now, the bans don’t directly concern most European countries, yet the situation itself highlights the danger of over-reliance on imports. A world where nations vie for crucial technologies and resources (like the U.S. seeking access to Ukrainian rare earths, primarily mined for the tech industry) is creating a fractured landscape where access to technological components dictates economic and military might, and caught in the crossfire is Europe.
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