Greece & EU set up semiconductor research hub amid rush for Greek gallium.
Greece establishes first semiconductor research hub : Launch of the Hellenic Chips Competence Centre (HCCC), its inaugural national semiconductor centre. (tovima.com)
Public–private partnership under EU programme : A joint initiative between HETiA and the Development Ministry, supported by the “Microchips for Europe” scheme via the European Chips Joint Undertaking. (tovima.com)
Combined €7.26 m funding : €3.63 m from Greece matched by equivalent EU funds to support centre development as a research and innovation hub. (tovima.com)
Collaboration with major research institutions : Consortium includes Demokritos, FORTH, CERTH and other academic bodies under ministry supervision. (tovima.com)
Strategic ambition for EU semiconductor sector : Greece plans to sign the Semicon Alliance Declaration with 24 other EU states on 29 September 2025. Project emphasises industrial automation across key local sectors and gallium production in Greece to supply EU chip industry. (tovima.com)
Recently found Greek gallium reserves at the centre of Europe's hopes to secure critical materials amid rising geopolitical tensions : Gallium, essential for producing compound semiconductors used in high-frequency and optoelectronic devices, is vital for advanced chips, defence systems, and 5G. Greece’s Metlen project is expected to produce up to 50 tonnes annually by 2028—enough to meet EU demand—positioning the country as a key contributor to Europe’s strategic autonomy in critical raw materials, and by extension, to Europe's semiconductor value chain.
