Netherlands Expands Export Controls for Semiconductors - ASML Remains Calm

The Dutch government has announced that it will expand its export controls for advanced semiconductor equipment starting April 1. However, chip equipment company ASML stated that it does not expect any impact on its business. National export licenses for semiconductor equipment in the Netherlands were first introduced in 2023 under pressure from the US to limit shipments to China. Since then, these regulations have been expanded several times. The new measures require companies to apply for export licenses for a 'very limited' number of technologies, including measurement and inspection devices, as stated by the Dutch Ministry of Trade in a statement. ASML emphasized that these changes do not have any additional impact on the forecasts the company issued in December. At that time, the US government announced new restrictions on semiconductor exports to China affecting chip equipment companies. Details of the regulatory changes published in the state legal journal on Wednesday show that the licensing requirements now include technologies used to detect tiny defects in wafers, as well as systems that improve measurements after coating and etching steps – processes frequently repeated in chip manufacturing. A spokesperson for the country's Ministry of Commerce stated that due to technical developments, minor changes to the rules are occasionally made.