IPC International, Inc.
IPC
Mission Statement IPC is a global trade association dedicated to furthering the competitive excellence and financial success of its members, who are participants in the electronics industry. In pursuit of these objectives, IPC will devote resources to management improvement and technology enhancement programs, the creation of relevant standards, protection of the environment, and pertinent government relations. IPC encourages the active participation of all its members in these activities and commits to full cooperation with all related organizations.
ID: 390331424747-18
Lobbying Activity
Meeting with Sanna Laaksonen (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen)
9 Jan 2026 · European Electronics Ecosystem and defence
Response to Report on the review of the Digital Decade Policy Programme
19 Dec 2025
The Global Electronics Association (formerly IPC) welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the review of the objectives and targets for 2030 of the Digital Decade Policy Programme (DDPP). Specifically, we wish to respond to the consultation request for a review of targets in light of new geopolitical realities and policy priorities. In this context we wish to highlight that in order to build a secure, resilient, high-performing, and sustainable digital infrastructure, a broader approach to electronics is needed. Within electronics, the Digital Decades focus on semiconductors is too limited. We recommend a shift from the target of reaching 20% of global production of cutting-edge semiconductors to a more holistic silicon-to-systems approach to address the needs of critical European industries. While the European Chips Act is an important step, our Association has highlighted concern regarding the limited scope of the Chips Act and its related target in the Digital Decade and called for a broader electronics industrial strategy. Further details can be found in our recent response to the Commissions consultation on the Chips Act Review. In particular, we call for a Chips Act Plus approach to cover the broader supply chain, including Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), Printed Circuit Board Assemblies (PCBAs) and system integration, along with advanced electronics packaging projects. A focus on semiconductor chips alone whether high end or legacy will not be sufficient. Semiconductors, or chips, have no functionality on their own. They gain functionality through conductive interconnections with other components on printed circuit boards (PCBs), assembled into electronic systems on Printed Circuit Board Assemblies (PCBAs) and final systems by Electronic Manufacturing Service Providers (EMS) and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). These electronic systems feature prominently in key sectors like defence and space. They are vital to the achievement of the increased autonomy sought in the EUs 2030 Defence Readiness goals. They underpin Europes economic security ambitions. Electronics are critical for Europes Digital Decade goals and are key to almost every industry segment including automotive, industrial automation, and AI data centers which pose the greatest technological challenges of next generation electronics in high volume. The review offers a timely opportunity to develop a silicon to systems approach to electronics in the Digital Decade Policy Programme. Related emphasis should be provided to the establishment of programmes to build out needed capacity and capability gaps across the European electronics ecosystem to meet the needs of critical European industries. We look forward to further opportunities to contribute to this very important initiative.
Read full responseResponse to Evaluation and Revision of the Chips Act ("Chips Act 2.0")
26 Nov 2025
Europe needs a Chips Act Plus The Global Electronics Association (formerly IPC) welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the Call for Evidence and review of the European Chips Act. While the Global Electronics Association welcomed the European Chips Act as a first step in building resiliency and technological leadership in semiconductors, our Association has repeatedly highlighted grave concern about the limited scope of the Chips Act and called for a broader electronics industrial strategy. In particular, we recommend that the Chips Act scope be expanded to cover the broader supply chain, including Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), Printed Circuit Board Assemblies (PCBAs) and system integration, along with advanced electronics packaging projects. Please find attached our Position
Read full responseMeeting with Pierre Chastanet (Head of Unit Communications Networks, Content and Technology) and European Association Automotive Suppliers and
9 Jul 2025 · Multistakeholder event on European semiconductor policies and investment
Meeting with Ioan-Dragos Tudorache (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné) and Kitron ASA and Svensk Elektronik
10 Jun 2025 · Exchange of views on the EU’s electronics manufacturing base
Meeting with Ivars Ijabs (Member of the European Parliament)
12 Sept 2024 · Electronics Manufacturing, Industrial Strategy
Meeting with Christian Ehler (Member of the European Parliament)
18 Jul 2024 · European industrial policy
Response to Rationalisation of reporting requirements
1 Dec 2023
IPC fully supports the European Commissions initiative to reduce reporting burdens for companies in Europe. We encourage the European Commission to continue this important initiative and trust that an intended 25% reduction in burden marks the beginning of a long term, necessary rationalization process. IPC membership gathers a broad range of electronics manufacturers differing in company size, industry segment and industries served. Member companies include printed circuit board companies (PCB), electronic manufacturing services (EMS), suppliers and OEMs. Correspondingly, these ranges and positions within value chains imply some differing obligations amongst companies. Nonetheless, electronics manufacturers speak to high levels of administrative burden. A wide range of reporting obligations linked to environmental legislation in force, and sometimes differently applied in EU Member States, naturally implies on-going resource allocation. New legislation in progress or pending, including sustainability reporting requirements, is expected to increase administrative load. With complex global supply chains, moreover, the ability of companies (not least smaller manufacturers) to collect and compile information required from suppliers remains a challenge to meet evolving requirements. A non-exhaustive list of examples is included in the table attached. All efforts to minimize burden while maintaining the objectives of the related policies are welcomed to ensure that costs are reduced and manufacturers able to provide the quality of information needed by all stakeholders. As the European Union continues its digital and green transition, electronics manufacturers are poised to partner on industrial needs enabling sustainable growth in the region and maintaining the competitiveness of European Industry. It is of key importance to ensure a resilient electronics manufacturing ecosystem able to invest in capacities and capabilities and keep pace with innovation needs. IPC welcomes on-going consultations and efforts to sustain the regions competitiveness and manufacturing base.
Read full responseMeeting with Eva Maydell (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)
21 Sept 2022 · Chips Act & Chips Joint Undertaking
Meeting with Karlo Ressler (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur for opinion)
8 Sept 2022 · Chips Act
Meeting with Bart Groothuis (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)
29 Jun 2022 · Chips Act
Response to Sustainable corporate governance
23 May 2022
IPC feedback to the proposal for a Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive
IPC is the global association for electronics manufacturing including printed circuit board (PCB) designers, assembly companies (EMS), suppliers and final equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Our membership includes over 3,000 companies of which more than 500 are located in Europe and includes both large companies and a majority of SMEs.
IPC supports public and private efforts to improve environmental health and human rights around the world and would like to work with the European Institutions to ensure that any new rules are both carefully designed to meet the intended objective and workable for the companies involved. We welcome the opportunity to share considerations during this process and to recall key points as follows.
IPC stands behind the EU’s objective to ensure respect for human rights and the environment and recalls our support for an EU-harmonised regulatory approach to due diligence ensuring consistency, legal certainty and a level playing field. In this context, IPC emphasizes the need to ensure a harmonised transposition of the proposed Directive across the EU-27.
Collective efforts towards preventing and addressing impacts are helped through consistency of approach in EU due diligence requirements. This extends to sectoral and cross-sectoral policies and legal frameworks, the need for alignment of EU policies and legal frameworks with existing international standards on responsible business conduct (e.g. UN Guiding Principles, OECD Guidelines for multinational enterprises (MNE), ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and rights at Work (ILO) as well as consistent and integrated reporting requirements between relevant legal frameworks at EU and Member State level (e.g. CSRD, EU Conflict Minerals Regulation, Batteries Regulation). In line with existing international standards, IPC supports a proportionate, context-specific and risk-based approach to due diligence.
Electronics, as a vertical and a horizontal industry supplying other industrial ecosystems, involves a complex and multi-layered supply chain. Our industry is also composed of many SMEs and larger but still medium sized businesses. We welcome the European Commission’s efforts to reduce burden on and increase certainty for smaller companies in the proposal.
It remains important however that definitions are clear throughout, that rules are proportionate, do not create excessive administrative burden and are well considered with regard to scope and liability provisions. Mitigating responsibility for damages that companies falling within the criteria for adherence cannot control remains an essential criterion. We call for the recognition of industry schemes and multi-stakeholder initiatives as a means to verify overall compliance and welcome the proposed industry guidance supporting implementation.
To ensure that the draft legislation meets its intended goal, we recall the importance of reflecting the role of existing industry partnerships (e.g. European Partnership for responsible Minerals under the EU Conflict Minerals Regulation) and data collection and reporting schemes while building on existing due diligence tools and best practices.
Read full responseResponse to European chips act package – Regulation
9 May 2022
IPC commends the European Commission for its Chips Act proposal, and we welcome the opportunity to share our perspectives on strengthening the European semiconductor supply chain and the wider electronics manufacturing ecosystem.
The current chip shortage has underscored the uniquely important role of semiconductors in the electronics that power almost all technologies from medical and defence technologies to consumer goods and industrial systems. Public and private sector investment in Europe’s semiconductor industry is necessary to address the current chip shortage and avert similar supply chain crises in the future, but Europe’s regional and economic security is also dependent upon its ability to design and produce the most cutting-edge semiconductor chips. In the future and today, advanced packaging plays a central role in this context.
With this eye to the future, IPC’s primary message to the European Commission as well as to the European Parliament and Council is that the Chips Act should provide robust support for advanced packaging given its increasingly important role in chip performance and supply chain resiliency. Support should extend to both IC substrate fabrication and final package assembly and test; every effort should be made to leverage such investments to deliver benefits across the electronics manufacturing value chain.
Please find attached our position paper outlining IPC’s key messages.
Read full responseResponse to Review: Restriction of the use of hazardous substances in electronics
14 Mar 2022
IPC members represent the global electronics manufacturing supply chain. The industry is financially invested in ensuring RoHS-compliant products continue to be available and it is adherent to RoHS and RoHS-like policies across the global community of electronics manufacturers. To retain the coherence of these global RoHS and RoHS-like policies and to retain the value of previous and current financial investments to ensure compliance, the EU RoHS Directive should not be repealed, nor should it be incorporated into the REACH Regulation. IPC supports the transformation of the RoHS Directive into regulation to reduce unnecessary regulatory burden related to transposition of Delegated Acts across all Member States.
In addition, key changes are necessary to ensure RoHS remains effective, has better coherence with EU Environmental legislation, and improves efficiency by avoiding unnecessary administrative burdens and associated costs. For example, to improve the exemptions process expiration dates and the methodology for numbering and structuring exemptions should be consistent and reflect electronic product design cycles. Instead of fixed maximum validity periods by product category, an ongoing process can be applied with defined review dates; exemptions should remain valid until a decision is taken to revise or revoke. Improved wording in the legal text to limit the scope of the technical assessment only to elements covered in Article 5 would reduce the time needed for the assessment. To improve the substance restriction process, the “one substance-one assessment approach” should be followed as well as the REACH risk evaluation and SEA methodologies. The focus should be on relevance to electronics and risks related to end-of-life.
To ensure coherence with REACH, IPC supports better use of the scientific and technical expertise of ECHA Committees (e.g., RAC and SEAC) for evaluation of exemption applications and candidate substances for restriction. Also, IPC supports non-legislative measures that bring awareness to and enable understanding of the aims, goals, history, and status of the RoHS Directive (including related exemption application activities and the process for considering new substances), the REACH Regulation (including overlaps in substances pertinent to both RoHS and REACH), the ecodesign directive for sustainable products, and other policies such as ELV, WEEE, POPs, and the burgeoning chemical and product initiatives that are part of the CEAP.
IPC has actively participated in many consultations on RoHS organized by the European Commission, providing key stakeholder inputs. We look forward to the opportunity to provide additional insights during the upcoming public and targeted consultations and would welcome participation in the associated stakeholder meetings.
Read full responseResponse to Policy Program - Digital Decade Compass
13 Dec 2021
IPC welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on the European Commission’s initiative on a proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the 2030 Policy Programme “Path to the Digital Decade”.
IPC is a global association whose membership comes from across the electronics manufacturing supply chain from printed circuit board manufacturers and EMS/Assembly to finished electronic product.
IPC finds the four-pronged approach of the Compass, in principle, well-founded, addressing important aspects for Europe’s industries. The Compass is, however, missing an important aspect that we would wish to highlight below.
Secure and Sustainable Infrastructures
While IPC welcomes the ambition to achieve a global production of cutting-edge and sustainable semiconductors in the EU of at least 20% in value by 2030 (Art. 4, b), we strongly encourage the European Commission to take into account and include targets for the entire electronics manufacturing value chain for a successful digital transformation.
The electronics industry constitutes a multi-layered industrial ecosystem requiring a robust supply chain for raw materials, connectors, components and printed circuit boards, as well as the manufacturers that assemble these parts and components into electronic systems that are incorporated into final products.
For these reasons, it is crucial that investments are also considered across the entire European electronics ecosystem enabling European-manufactured integrated circuits to be placed on European-manufactured printed circuit boards by European-based Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) companies.
This holistic approach is indeed foundational to achieving the EU’s digital transformation goals and securing a resilient industry. Electronics constitutes a complex and interdependent ecosystem. The ecosystem as a whole ultimately acts as the enabler for other technological developments, supports our industry's competitive edge and is foundational to Europe’s digital transformation and green transition.
Supporting scale-up and investments for electronics manufacturers in their transition to Factories of the Future is foundational is this light. To deliver on the 2050 climate neutrality objectives, spurring investment in capital equipment, investing in AI and other technologies that make European manufacturers more globally competitive are key.
Read full responseResponse to Revision of EU legislation on registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals
1 Jun 2021
Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed initiative to revise the REACH Regulation to better achieve the objectives of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. IPC is a global association that helps original equipment manufacturers, electronics manufacturing services, printed circuit board manufacturers and suppliers to build electronics better. IPC is dedicated to furthering the competitive excellence of its approximately 3,000 member companies, including the 500-plus companies in Europe. We offer these comments from the perspective of the electronics manufacturing supply chain.
IPC supports the European Commission’s multi-pronged drive to achieve the zero-pollution ambition via the strategic revision and improvement of existing policies, like REACH. The inception impact assessment identifies seven problem areas and proposed solutions – a range of ideas that support simplification and burden reduction. In line with these, IPC suggests that the EC consider revisions to REACH in context of pending revisions and improvements to other chemical and product policies, in particular the Restriction of the Use of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (RoHS). Coherence between REACH and RoHS must be maintained and revisions to either or both should be made with a focus on improved coherence and continued transparency, predictability, and legal certainty.
Although not included in the list of seven problems and proposed solutions, IPC suggests that the EC consider a return to the earlier definition of Article and the original vision on how REACH should be applied. The judgement of the European Court of Justice on September 10, 2015, added substantial administrative burden to producers of articles and it has been extended by the additional administrative burden associated with data management required under the EU Waste Framework Directive’s Substances of Concern in Products (SCIP) database. This is most acute in the electronics sector, where each individual component is an article and a finished electronic product can contain thousands of components, many of which include SVHCs in concentrations above 0.1% w/w, but within the scientifically and technically-justified exemptions for RoHS.
We support improved efficiencies for supply chain communication; however, it must be recognized that the information exchanged throughout the electronics supply chain cannot solely rely on safety data sheets. The electronics industry uses consensus-based industry standards in support of materials declarations across the supply chain using XML schema. The schema enable data exchange against RoHS, REACH, the SCIP database, and declarable substances lists that the industry complies with in accordance with contractual obligations and best practices. Also, any revisions to REACH communication strategies must consider the concurrent activities within the European Commission related to the digital product passport and its aims. Ultimately, supply chain communication should be practical and proportionate to the expected improvements to human health and the environment and to the potential for circularity improvements.
IPC will continue to monitor the develop of the REACH revisions.
Read full responseMeeting with Inge Bernaerts (Cabinet of Commissioner Marianne Thyssen), Kasia Jurczak (Cabinet of Commissioner Marianne Thyssen)
20 Mar 2019 · EU Skills agenda
Meeting with Kasia Jurczak (Cabinet of Commissioner Marianne Thyssen)
11 Jul 2018 · Skills agenda
Meeting with Rolf Carsten Bermig (Cabinet of Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska)
22 Jun 2017 · policy initiatives which impact the electronics industry