Europe Is Pushing Back on Washington's Chip War
Europe is increasingly resisting Washington's tightening chip export restrictions targeting China, with semiconductor giant ASML at the forefront of the pushback. ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet noted that China can currently only purchase older deep ultraviolet tools shipped roughly a decade ago. The proposed MATCH Act would now place even these legacy machines off-limits.
Europe finds itself in an increasingly tense position amid the ongoing technological trade war between the United States and China. Dutch semiconductor equipment maker ASML, which produces the world's most advanced chip-making machines, has become a central player in this geopolitical conflict. European leaders and companies are now openly questioning how far Washington can dictate the terms of European export policy.
ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet told TechCrunch in May that what China can currently purchase are older-generation deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography tools — equipment first shipped roughly a decade ago. These machines are far removed from the cutting-edge extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology that ASML produces today, which is already subject to strict export bans due to its role in manufacturing the most advanced chips.
The proposed MATCH Act would tighten restrictions further, effectively placing even these legacy DUV machines off-limits for Chinese buyers. European stakeholders view this as an escalation that goes well beyond reasonable security considerations, threatening to damage European industry without delivering proportional security benefits for the Western alliance.
At the heart of the dispute lies a fundamental question: who controls European export policy — Brussels or Washington? While the United States argues that broad restrictions are essential to slow China's military-technological advancements, European companies and policymakers advocate for a more calibrated approach. As the chip war continues to escalate, the tension between transatlantic solidarity and European economic self-interest shows no signs of easing.