Dutch semiconductor corporations must search authorities permission earlier than they’ll promote some kinds of chip-making gear overseas, a transfer that follows discussions with the U.S. geared toward limiting China’s entry to such superior applied sciences.
The Dutch authorities revealed the brand new guidelines Friday, a number of months after national-security officers from the Netherlands, Japan and the U.S. reached an settlement to begin proscribing such exports. The foundations are set to take impact in September and aren’t particular to China, the federal government stated.
“We’ve taken this step on nationwide safety grounds,” stated Liesje Schreinemacher, the Netherlands’ minister for overseas commerce and growth cooperation.
The brand new guidelines “handle a very powerful vulnerabilities with out inflicting pointless disruption to the worldwide manufacture of chips,” she stated.
The U.S. final 12 months introduced restrictions on promoting superior U.S. semiconductor expertise to China, and the Biden administration is contemplating additional curbs, The Wall Road Journal reported earlier this week.
The Dutch guidelines, which had been first introduced in March, deal with sure applied sciences which are used for the event and manufacture of superior chips and may have navy functions, the federal government stated. It stated the Netherlands has an added accountability for managing exports of the expertise due to its main place on chips.
The Netherlands is residence to ASML, one of many world’s most vital producers of semiconductor gear.
ASML shares had been down round 2% Friday morning, whereas the general Dutch market was largely flat.
ASML stated on Friday that it doesn’t count on the brand new measures to have a cloth influence on its monetary outlook. It stated the brand new guidelines apply narrowly to the corporate’s most superior immersion lithography machines.
“ASML will proceed to adjust to relevant export laws,” it stated.
European governments have in recent times taken a extra cautious method to commerce relations with China. A technique on financial safety revealed by the European Union’s government physique earlier this month included a name for member states to contemplate new controls for European funding in different nations, together with China, based mostly on potential safety dangers.
Write to Kim Mackrael at [email protected]