ASML boss Christophe Fouquet has expressed his dissatisfaction with the Dutch government’s and the European Union’s approach to the chip sector, of which ASML is an important part. He believes that the Netherlands is too willing to go along with US export restrictions, and that the Veldhoven-based company is suffering as a result.
The CEO of the Veldhoven-based chip machine maker revealed this to The Economist. The high-tech giant is worried about the Dutch stance now that the chip market is in a slump.
ASML has long been banned from selling its most advanced machines to Chinese companies, and more recently older models have also been banned from the country. And after President Biden, these export restrictions are threatening to be extended under President Trump.
Fouquet believes that “European politicians and policymakers should do more to help ASML. Europe should decide for itself what it wants and not be dictated to by others,” said Fouquet. Moreover, if European leaders do not give important companies the support they want, they could leave, the Frenchman warns.
Brainport
Turning a blind eye to US policy decisions puts pressure on the company’s supply chain. According to Fouquet, the semiconductor industry has built a miracle and this miracle depends on a delicate chain of trust with deep specialisation and cooperation. If this chain is broken, ASML’s special position will also be called into question.
Nitrogen
This is not the first time that Fouquet has been caught out. Earlier, in a Dutch talk show Buitenhof, he revealed that the Netherlands would have to speed up its nitrogen dossier, among other things, otherwise ASML would not be able to expand in the region. ”Within two or three years, something has to be done. We cannot say to our customers: sorry, we cannot deliver machines because of the nitrogen problem.”
Source: Studio040.nl
Translated by: Anitha Sevugan
