The measure will strengthen Europe's security of supply, resilience and technological autonomy in semiconductor technologies, in line with the objectives set out in the European Chips Act Communication and the Political Guidelines for the European Commission 2024-2029.

Italy notified the Commission of its plan to support Silicon Box's project to set-up a new semiconductor advanced packaging and testing facility in Novara, Italy.

Advanced packaging allows multiple chips, often with different functions, to be integrated into one package, creating a multi-chip module, or a "chiplet".

This approach enables the chiplet to function like a single chip, offering improved performance and power efficiency.

The new facility will deliver advanced packaging solutions that integrate chiplets using panel-level instead of wafer-level packaging, along with 3D integration techniques.

The plant will handle key manufacturing steps, namely chip assembly, packaging and testing.

The plant, which is expected to be operating at full capacity in 2033, is expected to process approximatively 10,000 panels per week.

The aid will take the form of an approximately €1.3 billion direct grant to Silicon Box to support its investment worth €3.2 billion in total. ■