Access mode

Access requests can be sent to the following email address

wbg-access@fbk.eu

clearly specifying:

  • Name
  • Surname
  • Contact email
  • Organization - name, Country
  • if there is already an ongoing collaboration with WBG PL partners, or if there is a preference in collaborating with some specific partners
  • short description of the topic of insterest (pleas do not include information which could require NdA)

you will be contacted in the following 5 working days

Eligibility criteria – summary

Here below the outline of criteria which will be applied to evaluate users elibilility to proceed to access requests.

  • To be a legal entities
  • Priority to entities established in Participating States of the Chips JU, meaning EU Member States, EEA countries and those countries that have been associated to Horizon Europe or to the Digital Europe Strategic Objective 6
  • Possibility to open according to evidence of EU added value and Economic security considerations
  • And: third countries entities contributing to EU funded activities, with particular attention to semiconductor context

    • Possibility to discuss specific extensions to these criteria with European Commission/Chips JU

    The Partners have agreed with the Chips JU that access to the pilot lines should primarily be reserved to entities established in Participating States of the Chips JU, meaning EU Member States, EEA countries and those countries that have been associated to Horizon Europe or to the Digital Europe Strategic Objective 6 (under which the pilot lines are funded). In determining access to the pilot lines for entities established in any Participating State but controlled from third countries that are not Participating States of the Chips JU, the Hosting Consortium must take into consideration two main criteria: EU added value and Economic security considerations. Entities from third countries may also be granted access when they are contributing to jointly funded research and innovation activities between the Union and that third country and/or access is foreseen in international cooperation agreements of the European Union concerning semiconductors such as those defined in Digital Partnerships or Trade and Technology Council agreements of the Union with third countries.

    Therefore, Potential Users must comply with the following criteria in order to gain access to the WBG PL:

    • Be a legal entity (public or private);
    • Be established in an eligible country, meaning EU Member States, EEA countries, countries that have been associated with Horizon Europe and countries associated with the Digital Europe Strategic Objective 6 under which the WBG Pilot Line is funded.
    • Users controlled from third countries that are not Participating States of the Chips JU must satisfy the following criteria:
    • Provide EU added value (contribution to the objectives of the Chips Act, expanding the knowledge base and capabilities of the WBG Pilot Line Consortium…);
    • Satisfy economic security considerations (when considering risks to European semiconductor supply chains, physical and cybersecurity of the pilot line, security and leakage of sensitive semiconductor technology…);
    • Comply with confidentiality obligations and IP Rights (to avoid potential risks of infringement of IP, unauthorized disclosure of trade secrets and IP rights, security, confidentiality, or the leakage of sensitive emerging technologies within the semiconductor sector).
    • Entities from third countries may also gain access if they contribute to jointly funded research and innovation activities between the Union and that third country, and/or access is foreseen in international cooperation agreements of the European Union concerning semiconductors.
    • In all other cases, eligibility will be decided in accordance with European Commission/Chips JU criteria and national guidelines.

    Eligibility limitations could be considered in case of activities not in line with EU, international and national laws on ethical principles and the respect of basic EU values, such as respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and human rights, including the rights of minorities.

    In case of positive evaluation, a specific technical discussion will be started with dedicated technical panel

    According to EU and ChipsJU reccomandations, it is important to offer support to SMEs, which constitute the majority of the European business. To this aim, the technical definition of SME is recalled: Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2003) 1422), documents available at SME definition accordin gto EU

    Additionally, because the WBG Partners are all research and knowledge dissemination organisations, the amount of economic activities they carry out must not exceed 20% of their overall annual capacity. This may limit the number of economic requests accepted by the WBG Pilot Line.

Requests evaluation criteria

Among evaluation criteria:

  • Quality of the proposal;
  • Technological compatibility;
  • Amount of time/resources requested considering the WBG PL occupancy state

The evaluation will be part of a process, summarized by the following process flow:

Request evaluation process

Different panels will be in charge of different steps of the flow

Costs and times

In consideration to the differneces among partners in cost management , specific quotations will be defined according to each access request, also considering requests involving more than one partner.

IP

Sharing organizational and technical information will require the definition and use of NdAs even in the starting phases of discussion among users and partners. The process will be kept as simple as possible, trying to define NdA basic template. According to the service type, it could be required that know-how remain to WBG PL partners.