Reyes Maroto raises before the EC the need to promote semiconductor manufacturing in Europe

Competitiveness Council in Brussels

The shortage of semiconductors is a problem that affects the entire European automotive industry.

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The Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, has participated in the Competitiveness Council held in Brussels where he highlighted the delicate situation experienced by the European and Spanish automobile industry to the semiconductor shortage and has asked the European Commission (EC) to expedite the necessary instruments to promote the semiconductor manufacturing in Europe. The minister has also conveyed this request to the vice president of Interinstitutional Relations and EU prospective, Maros Sefcovic, as well as the general director of DG Connet, Roberto Viola, with whom he has held meetings during his visit to Brussels.

 

 

Maroto has assessed as “positive the measures announced by the Commission such as the European Chip Law, but has requested a boost from the EC to guarantee the supply of these essential components to recover vehicle production levels in European and Spanish factories. The shortage of semiconductors is a problem that affects the entire European automotive industry and requires, first of all, immediate actions such as facilitating the internal flexibility of companies through ERTE, which has been a very successful measure during the most recent months. hard of the pandemic. But also structural actions to increase production capacity in Spain and in Europe".

 

The head of Industry recalled that Spain has included in the first Strategic Project for Recovery and Transformation or PERTE, in the field of the electric vehicle value chain and connected financial support for the manufacturing of semiconductors in Spain. The PERTE for the electric vehicle will articulate a public investment of 4.295 million euros in the period 2021-2023 to boost the industrial climate and ensure that the ecosystem necessary for the manufacturing of electric and connected vehicles is created in Spain.

 

The minister has defended the Spanish initiative for the unified purchase of gas in Europe with the aim of reducing high wholesale electricity prices

 

Maroto explained to his interlocutors that this PERTE will contribute to reinforcing the strategic autonomy, modernization, decarbonization and digitalization of the Spanish and European automotive sector, while taking a step forward in fulfilling the commitments acquired by Spain and the European Union with climate neutrality in 2050.

 

On his two-day trip to Brussels, Maroto has also had the opportunity to defend the Spanish proposal to create a European platform to facilitate the purchase of natural gas to reduce high electricity prices, which affect energy-intensive industries. Spain suggests that strategic reserves could be established to avoid exposure to market fluctuations.

 

Reyes Maroto recalled the measures adopted by Spain to reduce electricity bills, such as tax reductions and the commitment to new renewable energy auctions. For the minister, it is a strategic issue, especially for the electro-intensive industry. This sector already has aid to be competitive, such as compensation for CO2 emissions or compensation for the extra cost of premiums for renewable or non-peninsular energy.

 

Spain has sent a letter to the European Commission to coordinate a common response to the rise in electricity prices in the wholesale market. The letter, signed by the ministers Calvino and Ribera was sent to the vice president, Frans Timmermans, to the Competition Commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, and the Energy Commissioner, Kadri Simson.