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According to ijiwei, citing Bloomberg, Dutch chip equipment giant ASML has warned that geopolitical tensions and export controls are hindering innovation in the semiconductor industry.
Its CEO Christophe Fouquet emphasized that the semiconductor industry relies on collaboration and innovation, but that rising geopolitical tensions are undermining the cooperative environment essential to its progress. However, he did not specifically address the new tariffs proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, as the company noted that Fouquet’s comments were made two weeks prior to Trump’s announcement, as highlighted by Bloomberg.
ASML manufactures extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography tools, which are essential for advanced chip production. The report notes that although the proposed tariffs exclude semiconductors, they do not mention chip manufacturing tools.
In 2024, approximately 16% of ASML’s net sales come from US-based facilities, as indicated by the company’s annual report. Meanwhile, key clients such as Intel, TSMC, and Samsung are expanding their operations in the U.S., supported by incentives from the CHIPS and Science Act, as the report notes.
In response to the proposed tariffs, the European Union is preparing an initial set of countermeasures, as the 20% tariff would apply to all 27 EU member states and impact approximately 70% of the EU’s exports to the U.S., according to Yahoo Finance.
At the same time, the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development has stressed the importance of reciprocal trade, but did not comment on whether the Netherlands would seek a tariff exemption for ASML, as indicated by the report.
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(Photo credit: ASML)
