KDT - Key Digital Technologies

The KDT Partnership continues the ECSEL JTI in the area of electronic components and systems, bringing together the European Commission, participating states and three private associations: AENEAS, Inside and the EPoSS. This is one of nine institutionalized partnerships of Horizon Europe, implemented under article 187 of the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union, governed by EU Council Regulation 2021/2085 of November 19. The Partnership is implemented through the KDT JU Joint Undertaking.

The private members, represented through the three private associations indicated above, contribute to the Partnership mainly by defining the ECS SRIA(electronic components and systems Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda), which forms a basis for defining the annual work programs of the KDT:

The ECSEL essentially followed a bottom-up approach that had a very positive impact in several strategic areas for Europe, such as power electronics, industrial systems, and electronic components in the biomedical sector, the automotive sector, among others. While KDT continues to adopt this bottom-up approach based on the SRIA JST, its work programs also includefocus topics that aim to address the urgency of bridging weak links in innovation value chains in Europe.

KDT's Calls should also be seen in conjunction with the opportunities to support the European ECS community made available through the Eureka Xecs Clusterwhose programmatic content is also associated with the SRIA ECS.

The KDT Partnership should synergistically align with Horizon Europe's Digital Cluster 4, the Euro HPC Partnership in the area of high performance computing and other initiatives of the European Commission, such as the Industrial Alliance for Processors and Semiconductor Technologies.

European Chips Act

According to the European Commission's communication of 8 February 2022 on the European Chips Act, the KDT Joint Undertaking could be expanded to become the 'Chips JU' and become instrumental in implementing measures to strengthen Europe's leadership in R&I leading to smaller and faster integrated circuits; to develop and strengthen design, production and packaging capabilities for advanced chips (including pilot lines and design facilities); and to build the necessary technical skills and train and retain talent in microelectronics. Negotiations are ongoing in the EU Council on the modifications to be made to the KDT JU Regulation in order to transform it into the Chips JU, in light of the European Chips Act. For more details on the European Chips Act, namely at technical level, it is advisable to consult the respective staff working document of the European Commission.