The Ministry of Economy on Friday signed a Letter of Intent with Belgium’s Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (IMEC), a world-leading research and innovation centre in nanoelectronics and digital technologies, to become a partner for the development of a competence centre in Romania, the ministry said in a statement, according to Agerpres.

The letter of Intent establishing the cooperation between the Ministry of Economy and IMEC on semiconductor research, in the context of the implementation of the European Chips Act, was signed in Leuven, Belgium by the Minister of Economy, Florin Spataru, and Luc Van den Hove, President and CEO of IMEC.

„Today’s event in Leuven demonstrates once again my wish, as Minister of Economy, but also the interest of the Romanian Government for the step-by-step development, in our country, of a semiconductor production capacity. The Letter of Intent we signed with IMEC is the first step we are taking for a sustainable, long-term collaboration in the advanced semiconductor technology sector with one of the largest research centers in the field. Our partnership is a testament to the formalization of an approach discussed since the beginning of the year, when we first visited the IMEC units in Leuven and saw what an integrated activity in the nanotechnology and semiconductor systems industry means. Romania must not miss the beginning of one of the most ambitious European exercises of adaptation to the industry of the future. We must develop this strategic industrial segment at European level, in the near future,” said Florin Spataru.

The partnership between the Ministry of Economy and IMEC comes in the context in which Romania has expertise in areas such as semiconductors and automotive sensors, as well as a solid university tradition in the field of engineering and science, the press release states.

„The European crisis of critical materials or semiconductors can become an investment opportunity in Romania. We have a young, enthusiastic workforce connected to new technologies, but we must motivate them to stay in the country by creating a solid infrastructure for this industrial sector,” the minister of Economy stressed.

IMEC’s research covers various aspects of nanoelectronics and its applications, such as advanced scaling of semiconductors and systems, radar and radio technology, but also digital technologies, including expertise in data and security. By establishing local and global ecosystems of partnerships in a multitude of industries, IMEC creates technologies that enable innovation in different areas, such as high-performance computers and distribution, healthcare, smart cities and mobility, logistics and production, sustainable energy and intelligent education.

If Europe is to succeed in achieving its objectives, as they are set out in the European Act Chips, building on European strengths should be vital, as it should be and building a pan-European initiative. I believe that signing this Letter of Intent with the Romanian Government is a measure of this approach. I look forward to exploring this cooperation by developing a future competence centre in Romania, Luc Van den Hove said.

Agerpres