Netherlands Opposes New US Sanctions: ASML at Risk

The Dutch government is taking sharp diplomatic measures against the tightening of restrictions by the US on the supply of semiconductor manufacturing equipment to China. This step is aimed at protecting the interests of ASML, Europe's largest technology giant, and seeks to maintain balance in the global chip market. This is reported by Ixbt.com news reports.

Dutch Foreign Trade Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma visited Washington this week, holding meetings with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and members of Congress. The main topic of the negotiations was a new bill called the MATCH Act, which envisions further limiting technological exports to China. According to Sjoerdsma, such active intervention by the Dutch government in the US legislative process is an exceptional case, demonstrating how critical this issue is for the country's economy.

MATCH Act: Risk of Technological Blockade

The MATCH Act draft, submitted to the US Congress in April, proposes significantly tightening export controls on China's semiconductor industry. While current restrictions apply to the most advanced extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems, the new measures could also cover the relatively simpler deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography equipment.

DUV systems are currently one of the few high-tech products that ASML can still supply to the Chinese market. ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet noted that these are older generation machines that began production ten years ago. However, Washington intends to completely close off these machines for China as well.

According to ixbt.com, the Chinese market is not only strategic but also of immense financial importance for ASML. Nearly 19 percent of the company's total revenue comes specifically from lithography systems sold to China. Losing this market is expected to deal a serious blow not only to ASML's financial indicators but to the entire European semiconductor industry.

Collision of Geopolitics and Technology

ASML is the only company in the world that produces the most complex lithography equipment, holding a monopoly position in the production of AI accelerators and advanced processors. Therefore, any export restriction placed on its products affects the global technological chain. The Dutch side emphasizes that these restrictions contradict the principles of free trade.

For now, the fate of the MATCH Act draft remains uncertain. The document has not yet been fully voted on in the US House of Representatives or the Senate. Observers believe that for the law to be passed, it would need to be included in a larger legislative package. This gives Dutch diplomacy additional time to defend its position.

This situation once again proves how closely technology, economy, and geopolitics are intertwined in the modern world. For developing countries like Uzbekistan, such conflicts in the global semiconductor market are also important, as these processes will ultimately affect the price and availability of all types of electronic devices.