The Netherlands is contemplating whether or not to permit upkeep of Dutch-made machines for making superior semiconductors and exported to China regardless of a ban introduced this week on sending new fashions.
Liesje Schreinemacher, the commerce minister, informed journalists she had not but selected whether or not to allow servicing and substitute elements for current machines after the clampdown on exports designed to limit Chinese language entry to essentially the most highly effective semiconductors.
The Hague is beneath stress from the US to starve Beijing of the most recent know-how, whereas China has been lobbying it to maintain provide traces open.
Schreinemacher, chatting with reporters forward of an EU ministerial assembly in Stockholm, mentioned the “particulars nonetheless have to be labored out”.
“The Chinese language have requested us earlier than . . . to not disturb worth chains a lot in the case of chips. And, after all, servicing is a crucial half when you’ve a machine. We do take these considerations very critically.”
She informed the Dutch parliament on Wednesday that the federal government would introduce export controls on the “most superior” machines as a result of they may produce chips for classy weapons.
That would come with a few of the deep (DUV) immersion lithography instruments made by Dutch company ASML, which would wish licences on the market abroad. The federal government has by no means allowed the export of essentially the most succesful excessive (EUV) machines to China.
ASML mentioned it believed the brand new curbs would come with the Twinscan NXT:2000i, which was first shipped in 2019, and later fashions that make high- functionality chips.
Schreinemacher mentioned she would define the complete particulars of the regime earlier than the summer time. The deal was agreed with the US and Japan in January however the controls don’t go so far as these imposed by Washington, which is attempting to extend its technological lead over China.
Tokyo has not but made an announcement on its new measures.
The Dutch minister denied the US had pressured her authorities. “This resolution was actually a unilateral resolution. It was not a tit-for-tat deal,” she mentioned.
Nevertheless, she referred to as for an elevated function for the EU in co-ordinating export controls. Nationwide governments are answerable for them as a result of they’re a matter of nationwide safety. She mentioned Brussels ought to amend its rules this yr in order that member states can all select to undertake the identical restrictions.
“I believe to indicate that we’re one united European Union and present that we’re a geopolitical bloc, it might be preferable if all member states would undertake this laws,” she mentioned, though no others can take advantage of superior chipmaking machines.
The EU’s commerce commissioner mentioned on Thursday that he additionally favoured better co-operation between the 27 member states. Valdis Dombrovskis mentioned he was consulting them on an “EU strategy”.
“Russian aggression in Ukraine highlighted the dangers of member states adopting nationwide controls with out a lot co-ordination to handle their urgent nationwide safety concerns,” he mentioned. “We’d like a stronger EU function to make sure coherence in our coverage on safety, commerce and know-how.”
He mentioned it was additionally crucial to make sure that member states didn’t undercut one another, with one sending merchandise to a 3rd nation that have been banned by one other. He acknowledged that it was a “very delicate matter”.
Schreinemacher made clear that choices ought to stay with nationwide governments. “There are Dutch actual financial pursuits concerned as effectively,” she mentioned. She was not ready to “put them in a basket for Europe to barter with . . . That’s why I imagine it’s a nationwide competence.”
