Netherlands aims to lead EU chip manufacturing initiative

Dutch economy minister Dirk Beljaarts revealed a plan to form a ‘coalition of the willing’ within the EU to strengthen the bloc’s computer chip industry and compete globally with the US and China. At a G7 industry ministers’ meeting in Rome, he stressed the importance of EU nations working together to set up production, assembly, and packaging facilities. While the Netherlands is home to leading chip tool maker ASML, Beljaarts emphasised that other EU countries must also build their semiconductor industries.

Beljaarts expressed the Netherlands’ readiness to lead this initiative, collaborating with Italian Industry Minister Adolfo Urso to bring the plans to life. Although the Netherlands is not a G7 member, its influence in the tech sector, as the world’s 18th largest economy, secured its invitation to the meeting. The EU’s chip strategy has recently faced challenges, particularly after the departure of Thierry Breton, the former EU Commission industry chief and architect of the EU Chips Act. The act, valued at €43 billion, aims to boost Europe’s share of the global chip market to 20% by 2030.

In a separate meeting, Beljaarts spoke with US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, discussing potential areas of cooperation. This discussion took place amid anticipated US export restrictions on advanced semiconductor equipment to China, which could impact ASML. However, Beljaarts clarified that the talks focused on collaboration rather than export limitations.