KYOTO, JAPAN – At its 21st annual meeting this week, the World Semiconductor Council reaffirmed a core mission: to ensure government policies are guided by market-based principles. To that end, industry leaders adopted a set of guidelines and best practices on how to implement semiconductor support programs that are consistent with international rules and avoid harmful trade distortions.

The WSC also committed to continuing dialogue with relevant governments to promote fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory practices about government support programs.

Additionally, the WSC reaffirmed its commitment to actively encouraging additional countries to join the expanded Information Technology Agreement and highlighted the importance of existing signatories fulfilling their ITA obligations.

Leaders in attendance also made progress in the following areas:

Encryption – Ensure open global market access for commercial encryption products by advocating for WSC encryption principles to be included in trade agreements being negotiated or contemplated by WSC governments/authorities.  

Protection of Intellectual Property – Support efforts to further strengthen the protection of trade secrets and improve patent quality.

Semiconductor Customs Classification – Pursue a long-term initiative to simplify the definition for semiconductors in the World Customs Organization Harmonized System to avoid differing interpretations and classification inconsistencies across regions.

Anti-counterfeiting – Strengthen cooperation with global customs and law enforcement agencies to combat semiconductor counterfeiting.

Environment, Safety and Health – Continue successful efforts to reduce the industry’s PFC emissions, increase energy efficiency, and highlight the industry’s successful efforts to manage chemicals used in semiconductor manufacturing.

The WSC is a worldwide body of semiconductor industry executives from China, Chinese Taipei, Europe, Japan, Korea, and the US that meets annually to address issues of global concern to the semiconductor industry.