Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission’s Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, visited the University of Oulu to discuss Finland’s 6G Flagship programme, which has engaged 600 researchers and produced key contributions to global ITU standardization efforts targeting a 2028 release. The visit highlighted the programme’s dual-use potential, particularly in drone detection and secure connectivity, while emphasizing the need for new funding instruments to support solution-level investments and address a critical shortage of chip designers in Europe. Despite concerns that large industry partners may increasingly dictate research directions, Virkkunen stressed that maintaining academic freedom is essential for long-term European competitiveness. The discussion concluded with a commitment to scale world-class research and industrial ecosystems to anchor semiconductor production within the EU.
Keywords: 6G Flagship, chip designers, spectrum policy, defence applications, EU standardisation