Dear IPC Members:

I hope this finds you safe and healthy.

We’re in the midst of a busy policy-making season in both the United States and Europe.

In Washington, the U.S. Congress this week passed a spending package that included funding for continued research and development (R&D) of lead-free electronics in defense and high-performance applications. This move shows there is ongoing interest in investing in lead-free R&D, which will improve defense readiness and innovation.

Coming up next week, IPC is kicking off its first IMPACT Washington Advocacy Week of 2022. Join us in making this industry’s voice heard! Find more details below.

All the best,

Chris Mitchell
Vice President, Global Government Relations

The Headlines at a Glance: 

TOP NEWS OF THE WEEK 

• Congress Approves $7.5M for Lead-Free R&D
• Join IPC for IMPACT Washington Advocacy Week, Starting March 16
• High Material and Labor Cost Challenges Remain

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

• IPC's Alison James on the Prospect of Transatlantic Partnership in the Global Electronics Manufacturing Industry

IPC ADVOCACY & YOU

• It’s Time for Government to Step Up to the Plate

ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH

• PIP (3:1) Compliance Deadline Extended to October 2024
• The “PIP-ing” Point
• EPA Reopens Comments on 20 Toxic Substances
• You Can Help Improve the SCIP Database
• Feedback Needed on Proposed Changes to RoHS Directive

EUROPEAN UNION

• Commission Launches Stakeholder Survey on Chips Usage

TRADE AND SUPLY CHAIN

• Sanctions on Russia Include Electronics-Related Export Controls
• IPC Praises U.S. Government Reports on Strategic Supply Chains
• The Entire Electronics Ecosystem Needs Support

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD ON SOCIAL MEDIA

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH US

TOP NEWS OF THE WEEK

Congress Approves $7.5M for Lead-Free R&D: The U.S. Congress passed a $1.5 trillion FY22 spending package this week to fund the government through September. The spending bill, which also included emergency aid for Ukraine, allotted $7.5 million for further research and development (R&D) to support the transition to lead-free electronics in defense and high-performance applications. With lead-based electronics becoming more difficult and expensive for the Department of Defense (DoD) to procure, it is imperative that we complete a lead-free transition. IPC calls on all parties to keep working to complete the R&D project over the next three years. IPC Contact: Chris Mitchell.

Join IPC for IMPACT Washington Advocacy Week, Starting March 16: IPC’s first “IMPACT Washington Advocacy Week” of 2022 kicks off next Wednesday, March 16, and you are invited. Register for our IPC Executive Forum call, with special guest Sree Ramaswamy, Senior Advisor in the Office of Policy and Strategic Planning at U.S. Department of Commerce, who will speak about the Biden’s administration’s work to strengthen strategic supply chains and spur advanced manufacturing research and development (R&D). Then, if your company operates in Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio Texas, Utah, Vermont, or Washington State, we invite you to join in meetings with key members of Congress from those states. And no matter where your company operates, mark your calendar to visit the IPC Online Advocacy Center between March 16-25 to send your elected officials a message. IPC Contact: Ken Schramko.

High Material and Labor Cost Challenges Remain: According to the latest data from IPC, high material and labor costs persist and are expected to continue for the foreseeable future, while recruiting and retaining skilled talent continues to be a challenge. IPC’s March economic update and Global Sentiment Survey reports found that more than nine in 10 manufacturers have experienced an increase in lead times for parts and components since the start of the pandemic. The overall global economic picture is also complicated by the emerging Russia-Ukraine conflict. Let us know if you have any questions. IPC Contact: Shawn DuBravac.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“The real goal is to sustain the capabilities to manufacture cutting edge electronics.”
– Alison James, IPC Europe senior director of government relations, talked to I-Connect007 about the potential for partnership between the United States and Europe in the global electronics manufacturing industry.

IPC ADVOCACY AND YOU

It’s Time for Government to Step Up to the Plate: “No one is going to fight for our industry’s future if we don’t fight for it ourselves.” In the latest issue of I-Connect007's SMT007 magazine, I outlined some of the critical U.S. policy decisions directly affecting the future of the electronics of manufacturing industry and how you can get involved. Check out the full article here. IPC Contact: Chris Mitchell.

ENVIRONMENT & HEALTH

PIP (3:1) Compliance Deadline Extended to October 2024: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced this week that, effective March 8, it has extended the compliance deadline for phenol, isopropylated phosphate (3:1) – PIP (3:1) – and PIP (3:1)-containing articles. The new compliance deadline will be October 31, 2024 – more than three years beyond the original deadline. PIP (3:1) is a chemical substance used as a flame retardant and plasticizer in electronics. Please let us know if you have any questions. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

The “PIP-ing” Point: Kelly Scanlon, IPC director of environment policy and research, discussed the global impact of the United States’ Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and other challenges the electronics industry faces in the latest episode of the “All Things Chemical” podcast. Let us know what you think! IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

EPA Reopens Comments on 20 Toxic Substances: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reopened the dockets for the 20 high-priority substances to undergo risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). This provides an additional opportunity for the public to submit information that would help inform the risk evaluation processes for these chemicals. The dockets are open until June 9. Please let us know if you are interested in this opportunity to inform future policy decisions. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

You Can Help Improve the SCIP Database: The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) recently released a call for evidence on the SCIP database and how it can be improved in the future. The survey is open through March 25. As a reminder, you can check out this IPC SCIP Database resource page for more information.

Feedback Needed on Proposed Changes to RoHS Directive: The European Commission released a call for evidence for an impact assessment as part of its review of the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive. The call for evidence will allow the commission to explore several possible options, including reform or repeal of the RoHS Directive. The deadline for comments is next week, March 14. Please let us know if your company could be affected by changes to the directive. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

EUROPEAN UNION

Commission Launches Stakeholder Survey on Chips Usage: The European Commission recently launched a stakeholder survey to capture chip demand and identify potential supply bottlenecks in the bloc. The survey was released in conjunction with the recently announced European Chips Act, which is aimed at improving the bloc’s semiconductor and microchip production. The European Commission also confirmed this week that there will be “strong safeguards” in place to ensure that the €30 billion in public funding for chips is not detrimental to fair competition and will be “appropriate and proportionate.” The survey is open until March 20. IPC Contact: Alison James.

TRADE AND SUPPLY CHAIN

Sanctions on Russia Include Electronics-Related Export Controls: Several countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, and the European Union, have imposed severe and immediate sanctions against Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine. Chief among them are export controls that will curtail Russia’s access to foreign technological exports, including semiconductors and equipment and components used in electronics. How does this affect your company, and how can you ensure compliance to those sanctions affecting the electronics manufacturing industry? Read more in an IPC blog. IPC Contact: Ken Schramko.

IPC Praises U.S. Government Reports on ICT Supply Chain: IPC is applauding a recent set of U.S. Government reports, which highlight the need for the United States to foster a robust domestic electronics manufacturing industry. These reports are the strongest statement yet from the Biden administration that we need to rebuild the entire electronics manufacturing ecosystem, including printed circuit boards (PCBs) and PCB assemblies (PCBAs). The U.S. Department of Commerce report quotes extensively from IPC’s input to them. IPC will continue to urge policymakers to combine investments in chip manufacturing with additional support for advanced packaging, PCBs, and related technologies. IPC Contact: Chris Mitchell.

The Entire Electronics Ecosystem Needs Support: “We have never had IC substrate production in North America. This isn’t a bring-it-back story. It’s we-need-to-get-it story." Matt Kelly, IPC chief technologist, talked to EE Times about the urgent need for North America to develop domestic capabilities for integrated circuit (IC) substrates, testing, and packaging, and to ease off the heavy reliance on non-domestic sources. The United States needs to build a more resilient, robust electronics manufacturing ecosystem beyond just chips. IPC Contact: Chris Mitchell.

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Several countries, including the U.S., UK, and the EU, have imposed severe and immediate sanctions against Russia. How does this affect your company and how can you ensure compliance to those sanctions affecting the electronics manufacturing industry? Details can be found in the IPC blog.		"Building a resilient domestic electronics industry is a strategic priority for the United States, and it will require a holistic approach to succeed.” John Mitchell, IPC president and CEO, commented ahead of President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address, urging passage of competitiveness legislation and applauding the focus on semiconductors.

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH US

Meet the IPC GR Team: Whether it’s engaging with policymakers in Washington, D.C., in the European Union or in China, the IPC Government Relations (GR) Team proactively seeks opportunities to educate, inform and influence policymakers on policies that spur innovation, growth and competition, while protecting human health and the environment. But our success depends on your support and engagement. Learn more and get involved in IPC advocacy today! IPC Contact: Chris Mitchell.

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