Story perspectives

EU Unveils Chips Act 2.0, Reducing Foreign Dependence

6/4/2026

Summary

EU Unveils Chips Act

EU introduced Chips Act 2.0 to cut reliance on third-country advanced chip manufacturing and design.
The act reinforces EU strengths in mainstream chips and adds capacity for cutting-edge semiconductor technologies.
Securing a stable chip supply, the legislation keeps critical infrastructure and technologies secure, resilient, and aligned with European values.
The act complements the Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA) and the EU Open Source Strategy to strengthen the digital economy.

Summary

EU Fast-tracks Data-centres

The proposal creates a fast-track data-centre approval granting grid priority and lower network fees to facilities using EU-made chips.
EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen warned that foreign ‘kill switches’ could disable services while Microsoft, SAP and Amazon Web Services launched EU-focused cloud offerings after investing billions of euros in European infrastructure.
DIGITALEUROPE warned that Chips Act 2.0 local-content rules could fragment supply chains and hurt EU competitiveness.

Summary

EU Stalls Certification

The EU Cloud Cybersecurity Certification Scheme stalled after political choices were handed to a technical body lacking legislative authority.
CADA's sovereignty assessment framework lets public administrations gauge exposure to foreign control.
The Commission earmarks €2 billion for open-source maintenance over seven years, far below the €264 billion annual proprietary IT spend.
EU protectionist history in solar panels and steel warns that procurement preferences can create insulated, non-competitive industries.

History

Historical Context

In 2009 the European Commission opened an anti-dumping probe on Chinese solar panels, imposing a 47.5 % duty that hit firms such as Germany’s Q-Cells. The episode foreshadowed later enforcement, notably OLAF’s 2017 discovery of about 2,500 container loads mis-declared via Taiwan and a €135 million financial recommendation. The 2024 EU Chips Act 2.0’s local-content rules echo that earlier protection debate, raising fears of a fragmented supply chain.

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EU Unveils Chips Act

EU introduced Chips Act 2.0 to cut reliance on third-country advanced chip manufacturing and design.
The act reinforces EU strengths in mainstream chips and adds capacity for cutting-edge semiconductor technologies.
Securing a stable chip supply, the legislation keeps critical infrastructure and technologies secure, resilient, and aligned with European values.
The act complements the Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA) and the EU Open Source Strategy to strengthen the digital economy.

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