EU member states have expressed doubts about the realism of the targets set by the Union for local semiconductor production two years ago.

According to a joint written statement published on Monday, the countries said, “It is unrealistic to aim for the EU to reach a 20% share of the global semiconductor market by 2030.”

In 2023, the member states and the European Parliament agreed to boost the growth of the semiconductor industry in the EU by investing billions of euros.

Today, the member states called for a comprehensive review of the semiconductor industry strategy. The signatories criticized the current target as vague and lacking clear strategic focus on Europe’s position in the global semiconductor supply chain and the reasons behind it.

The countries pointed out that global competitors have significantly increased their public investments, and a large part of the value creation in the semiconductor supply chain occurs outside the EU.

At the same time, these countries emphasized the importance and necessity of this sector in fields such as automotive manufacturing, telecommunications, defense, and artificial intelligence. They called for accelerating the approval process of the EU’s upcoming budget.

A spokesperson for the European Commission confirmed that ambitious goals were set for the semiconductor sector due to its importance in various economic fields, adding that without semiconductors, there would be no artificial intelligence.

The EU’s plan to stimulate the semiconductor industry is currently under review, and EU member states can also participate in this process.

Meanwhile, the sector in Europe lost a major project, the American Intel factory in the German city of Magdeburg, after the struggling company announced the cancellation of the project.