The Netherlands has once again tightened export controls to ensure that ASML will have to apply for export licenses with the Dutch government instead of the U.S. These new rules will come into effect on April 1st and is seemingly The Hague’s response to the updated list of sanctioned equipment; Bloomberg reports that this includes specific measurement and inspection equipment made by Dutch semiconductor companies like ASML.
While the Dutch authorities didn’t specifically mention Washington, D.C.’s latest export controls during its announcement, sources say that these latest measures closely align with the White House’s policies. This isn’t the first time that The Netherlands has updated its export controls to ensure that it has control of its flagship semiconductor companies — it did this for ASML’s DUV tools back in September 2024, preventing China from acquiring these machines to produce 7nm and even more advanced chip nodes.
