The Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, Stefan Rouenhoff, and the Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Industry of Canada, Carlos Leitão, signed a "Joint Declaration of Intent" on a semiconductor ecosystem partnership in Montreal today.
With this declaration, Germany and Canada reaffirm their shared commitment to expanding cooperation to build a stronger and more resilient semiconductor ecosystem and to further deepen their bilateral economic relations. The declaration represents another step by the German Federal Government in implementing its Microelectronics Strategy, adopted at the end of last year, which calls, among other things, for closer bilateral cooperation with reliable partners in the semiconductor sector.
Following the signing of the Joint Declaration of Intent with Parliamentary Secretary Leitão, Stefan Rouenhoff stated: " Today is a good day for Germany and Canada. We have just laid the foundation for closer cooperation in the semiconductor sector. This is important because semiconductors have become indispensable for both our economies and our societies. At the same time, supply shortages and disruptions to global supply chains have highlighted the challenges facing the chip industry. This makes it all the more important for Germany to strengthen its cooperation with its long-standing and trusted partner Canada in this key economic sector. Doing so will enhance the resilience of our value chains.”
Carlos Leitão added: “Canada and Germany share a commitment to building a strong, innovative and resilient semiconductor ecosystem. This joint declaration of intent reflects the importance of working with trusted partners to advance research, strengthen supply chains and support the technologies that will power the economy of the future, including artificial intelligence. By deepening cooperation in this strategic sector, we are creating new opportunities for businesses, researchers and workers in both countries.”
Under the partnership, the two countries will establish a dialogue on key issues in microelectronics and create a framework for cooperation in investment, industry, technology, and research. The German and Canadian semiconductor ecosystems have the potential to complement each other in valuable ways. Another objective is to strengthen connections between German and Canadian companies and research institutions. Initial examples of such cooperation already exist, such as Infineon's development and innovation center for gallium nitride (GaN) technology in Ottawa. The partnership will also contribute to strengthening the resilience of global supply chains while fostering innovation and enhancing the technological competitiveness of both economies.