As the global semiconductor race intensifies, France is now vying for a spot at the high-tech table.
At this year’s VivaTech conference, French President Emmanuel Macron made a bold push to attract tech giants like TSMC and Samsung to establish cutting-edge chip manufacturing facilities in France. His ambition? To secure a domestic supply of advanced chips ranging from 2nm to 10nm nodes and reduce Europe’s reliance on imports.
Macron emphasized that semiconductor independence is no longer just economic policy-it’s a matter of national security. But despite France’s appetite for high-performance chips, the country’s existing industrial landscape mainly supports mature nodes, like those used in automotive systems. That makes the leap to bleeding-edge tech especially steep without external partnerships.
Macron hopes to convince one of the big players-TSMC or Samsung-to make the jump. However, experts are skeptical. TSMC’s mega-fab in Germany, despite heavy funding, is still in limbo. And France doesn’t currently manufacture the kinds of high-end consumer electronics or AI processors that demand 2nm-class chips.
Still, Europe has precedent. Intel has long maintained a fab in Ireland and even eyed Germany for expansion. France also holds historical significance in the chip world-Nvidia’s early graphics cards were once made in partnership with STMicroelectronics, a French-Italian company.
But convincing TSMC or Samsung to set up shop in France won’t be easy. Some observers fear the EU might overreach, potentially alienating partners. Others argue that if Europe doesn’t secure its own chip supply, it risks being caught between American tariffs and Chinese geopolitical influence. Buying from the U.S. could come with a hefty “American premium,” and relying on China could lead to uncomfortable dependencies.
While critics debate the feasibility of Macron’s vision, one thing is clear: Europe no longer wants to sit on the semiconductor sidelines. Whether it achieves self-reliance through cooperation or confrontation remains to be seen.