The SIA and a coalition of high technology companies successfully lobby to secure the Securities Litigation Uniform Standard Act of 1998, which makes federal court the sole venue for hearing class action suits on securities fraud allegations against companies with rapid fluctuations in stock prices and eliminates frivolous lawsuits in state courts. This allows companies to make good faith forecasts about their future without exposing themselves to fraud charges if the forecasts turnout to be incorrect.


The WSC receives the 1998 Climate Protection Award from the US Environmental Protection Agency. This award recognizes the council’s efforts, which were spearheaded by the SIA, to reduce global warming gases in semiconductor manufacturing.


The SIA reports that the foreign share of the $32 billion semiconductor market in Japan rose to an all time high of 33 percent in 1997.


The SIA Board of Directors approves a proposal to expand the SIA Technology Roadmap to include participation by foreign companies in Japan, Europe, Korea, and Taiwan.


The SIA conducts its fifth annual fact-finding mission to China, encouraging government and industry officials to eliminate chip tariffs as part of China’s accession to the World Trade Organization.


The SIA makes its first delegation trip to Taiwan to discuss tariff issues with local officials. As a result of SIA efforts, Taiwan reduces tariffs to .5 percent and agrees to reduce them to .25 percent by January 1, 1999, and to eliminating them altogether by January 1, 2000.


1999 The SIA and member companies lobby extensively to achieve the top 1999 legislative priority with the passage of Y2K liability legislation. The final legislation includes virtually all of the SIA’s key priorities, including proportionate liability and measures that will help to encourage remediation and prevent frivolous lawsuits.


The WSC reaches consensus to reduce the aggregate absolute emissions of PFC's from the semiconductor fabrication facilities by 10% or greater by the year 2010 – a goal upon which the U.S. semiconductor industry had already embarked.


The U.S. and China agree to the terms of China’s accession to the WTO. The SIA works closely with USTR in drafting the accession agreement, which includes elimination of China’s chip duties, granting U.S. firms the right to trade and distribute their products, and protection of our intellectual property and U.S. antidumping laws.


SIA establishes a presence in China by joining other electronics associations in the US Information Technology Office in Beijing (USITO).


The SIA efforts in conjunction with the Department of Defense result in the Clinton Administration announcing an increase in the export control


MTOPs, and then a further liberalization to 3500 MTOPs. The SIA successfully lobbies for an R&D tax credit extension for an additional five years.


2000 The SIA lobbies extensively for passage of Permanent Normal Trade Relations legislation with China in order to ensure that China lowers its tariffs on semiconductors, respects intellectual property rights, allows semiconductor companies to sell directly into China without using middlemen, and eliminates investment barriers, among other measures. The bill is signed into law in October.


With its international partners, Technology.


the SIA releases the first International Roadmap for Semiconductor


The SIA successfully achieves an increase in the control level for microprocessors and digital signal processors – from 3500 to 6500 MTOPs.


levels for microprocessor shipments from 1200 to 1900


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