EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY POLICY AND RESEARCH-AND-DEVELOPMENT CONSORTIA - THE CASE OF SEMICONDUCTORS

Government policies have played a decisive role in the semiconductor i ndustry since it was born. They evolved during the 1980s as a result o f the pressure exerted by innovation and R&D. Governments were forced to re-direct their policies at that time to develop 'technology polici es' in an industry considered to be strategic. This sector is encourag ed and actively supported, which leads to co-operative initiatives amo ng (national) firms. Many public R&D programs now exist in most countr ies. This paper deals with technology policy and collaboration in the European semiconductor industry. It demonstrates that R&D consortia ar e mainly viewed as a means to improve Europe's competitiveness and to catch-up with foreign competitors. We briefly discuss the impact of co -operative research on restoring the competitiveness of European semic onductor firms.