Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 04 JUNE 2026

Chips Are Down: Europe Bets Big

William Fry LLP
William Fry LLP
Contributor
William Fry LLP

William Fry LLP

William Fry advises leading Irish and international companies, covering both the public and private...

View firm profile
Explore more from William Fry LLP

The European Commission's Chips Act 2.0 proposes sweeping measures to strengthen Europe's semiconductor ecosystem through strategic project designations, regional excellence frameworks, and enhanced supply chain regulation.

IrelandStrategy
Eva Barrett
Eva Barrett
Fergus Devine
Fergus Devine
Colm Booth
Colm Booth
Author LinkedIn connections

The European Commission published the European Technological Sovereignty Package on 3 June 2026, proposing measures to address the “wicked problems” facing chips, AI, and cloud computing. In the first of two articles on the Package, we examine the Chips Act 2.0 and its relevance for Ireland; our second will cover the AI and cloud computing proposals.

Why Europe Needs More Chips

Chips are everywhere and in everything from smartphones to electricity grids to credit and debit cards to satellites. They are the world’s third most traded commodity after oil and vehicles. Chips are critical enablers of the clean and digital transition. However, most are imported, making supply chains vulnerable to interruption. The complexity of these supply chains makes securing them a genuinely complex or “wicked” problem.

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

View source

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

See more popular content from

Article

The European Commission’s First Use Of EU AI Act Investigatory Powers

The European Commission's AI Office has issued its first formal Requests for Information to providers of general-purpose AI models, marking a pivotal moment in EU AI Act enforcement. These RFIs target both safety and security practices as well as transparency and copyright compliance, signaling the beginning of active regulatory oversight that will extend beyond GPAI providers to organizations developing AI systems.
IrelandStrategy
Matheson
Matheson
Article

Ireland’s Data Centre Connections: Back Online

Ireland has lifted its data centre connection moratorium and introduced a demanding new framework requiring developers to provide their own generation capacity, source 80% of electricity from new Irish renewables within six years, and meet strict grid stability requirements. The policy creates significant opportunities for developers who can navigate the complex intersection of grid connection, planning permission, and renewable energy procurement, though a pending legal challenge adds uncertainty to the la
IrelandEnergy and Natural Resources
William Fry LLP
William Fry LLP
Article

Government Legislative Priorities For Autumn 2026

The Government has published its Autumn 2026 Legislation Programme, identifying 32 bills for priority publication and 32 bills for priority drafting. This article explores a selection of measures likely to be of interest to businesses, spanning digital economy, strategic infrastructure, litigation reform, financial regulation, competition law, corporate structures, employment, pensions, and healthcare sectors.
IrelandGovernment, Public Sector
William Fry LLP
William Fry LLP
Article

CBI Consults On Third-Party Risk

The Central Bank of Ireland has published a consultation paper proposing new guidance on managing third-party risks that extends beyond traditional outsourcing to encompass partnerships, joint ventures, and fintech collaborations. The proposed framework aligns with recent European Banking Authority guidelines and DORA, introducing a lifecycle-based approach with enhanced contractual provisions and broader scope than the 2021 guidance it will replace. Financial entities now face the challenge of identifying
IrelandFinance and Banking
William Fry LLP
William Fry LLP
Article

Time Running Out As AI Transparency Guidelines Published

The European Commission has published comprehensive guidelines on AI transparency obligations under Article 50 of the EU AI Act, with enforcement beginning August 2, 2026. These guidelines establish how organizations must disclose AI systems, mark synthetic content, label deepfakes, and demonstrate compliance, with significant penalties for non-compliance reaching up to €15 million or 3% of global turnover.
IrelandTechnology
William Fry LLP
William Fry LLP
Article

Data For Sale: Can Insolvent Companies Realise The Value Of Corporate Data?

Spirit Airlines' proposed $10 million sale of a massive de-identified corporate dataset to Google in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings raises fundamental questions about whether operational business data can be treated as a realisable asset in insolvency. The transaction highlights the legal tension between preserving a dataset's commercial utility and ensuring individuals cannot be identified, particularly when the data maintains referential integrity across multiple systems.
IrelandInsolvency/Bankruptcy/Re-Structuring
William Fry LLP
William Fry LLP