Deadline: 02-Oct-2024
The European Commission (EC) is providing grants to support the European Network of Chips Competence Centres under the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL).
The main objective of the Coordination and Support Action is to maximize networking between existing European points of semiconductor knowledge and expertise. The tasks and services will provide a single focal point at European level, which will be responsible for the support of the Chips Competence Centres, the exchange of best practices among these centres, facilitating the sharing of knowledge and information, networking and training across competence centres. In order to accomplish these objectives, the selected consortium should also establish effective cooperation with other European initiatives, in particular regarding skills and training in semiconductors.
Scope
- Proposals should aim at supporting the networking among the Chips Competence Centres. In particular, it is expected to establish a communication platform, facilitate dialogue, promote the objectives of the Centres, and organize outreach events and workshops. The activities should leverage on synergies and complementarity of the centres.
- The Coordination and Support Action should:
- Support the exchange of best practices among Chips CCs;
- Disseminate the activities of the Network. Maximise visibility and outreach of Chips CCs, in particular to SMEs, industry and the public sector;
- Promote the services of the Chips CCs, specifically addressing the needs of SMEs;
- Attract new users and support the engagement of industry and SMEs in the activities of the Chips CCs;
- Educate and assist Chips CCs in technology transfer practices, including IP management, where relevant;
- Define and monitor meaningful qualitative and quantitative KPIs for the European Network of Chips Competence Centres and for the Centres;
- Maintain an overview of specific specialisations and competence of the various Centres;
- Support matchmaking for specific competences;
- Facilitate access to services and training offered at national level to interested Chips CCs and other potential users;
- Support the organisation of community building events for users and Centres sharing similar interests;
- Support the connection of Chips CCs to relevant other initiatives, in particular to initiatives on skills and workforce development;
- Act as the first online point of contact for all information related to the Chips Competence Centres.
Funding Information
- The check will normally be done for all beneficiaries, except:
- public bodies (entities established as public body under national law, including local, regional or national authorities) or international organisations
- if the individual requested grant amount is not more than EUR 60 000.
Expected Outcomes
- The European semiconductor ecosystem will be strengthened through an effective network of Chips Competence Centres (Chips CCs) supporting the adoption and use of semiconductor technologies, in particular by SMEs, and taking into account the specific needs of the local, regional and/or national ecosystem(s). The coordinated network will facilitate access to pilot lines and the European virtual design platform and knowledge transfer within the Chips CCs. The Coordination and Support Action will ensure the European network of Chips Competence Centres will be embedded in the European semiconductor ecosystem with strong links to other European initiatives, for example, in the area of training.
- Moreover, the action will result in
- Effective coordination and exchange of best practices and information among the network of Chips CCs;
- Facilitated access to services and training offered at national or regional level to interested Chips CCs and other potential users (from industry, academia or public sector);
- Maximised visibility and outreach of Chips CCs, in particular to SMEs and industry;
- Improved coordination and increased availability of training activities on semiconductor technologies across Chips CCs and within the European semiconductor ecosystem.
Eligibility Criteria
- In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
- be legal entities (public or private bodies)
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
- non-EU countries:
- listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Digital Europe Programme
- Specific cases
- Natural persons — Natural persons are not eligible (with the exception of self-employed persons, i.e. sole traders, where the company does not have legal personality separate from that of the natural person).
- International organisations — International organisations are not eligible, unless they are International organisations of European Interest within the meaning of Article 2 of the Digital Europe Regulation (i.e. international organisations the majority of whose members are Member States or whose headquarters are in a Member State).
- Entities without legal personality — Entities which do not have legal personality under their national law may exceptionally participate, provided that their representatives have the capacity to undertake legal obligations on their behalf, and offer guarantees for the protection of the EU financial interests equivalent to that offered by legal persons.
- EU bodies — EU bodies (with the exception of the European Commission Joint Research Centre) cannot be part of the consortium.
- Associations and interest groupings — Entities composed of members may participate as ‘sole beneficiaries’ or ‘beneficiaries without legal personality’. Please note that if the action will be implemented by the members, they should also participate (either as beneficiaries or as affiliated entities, otherwise their costs will not be eligible).
- Countries currently negotiating association agreements — Beneficiaries from countries with ongoing negotiations for participating in the programme (see list of participating countries above) may participate in the call and can sign grants if the negotiations are concluded before grant signature and if the association covers the call (i.e. is retroactive and covers both the part of the programme and the year when the call was launched).
For more information, visit EC.