The Hague – The Dutch economic affairs minister said in an interview on Wednesday that Europe must be quick, selective, and active in backing vital tech industries in the face of US-China trade tensions.
Micky Adriaansens has refocused Dutch industrial tech strategy on protecting and boosting a few technologies where the country already has a competitive advantage, such as semiconductors, where Dutch equipment maker ASML (ASML.AS), opens new tab, is a market leader.
“I’m going to talk to Breton tomorrow,” she told Reuters, referring to Thierry Breton, European Industry Commissioner.
“My message will be we need a strategy for Europe on (key) technologies.”
While the European Chips Act was meant to respond to US and Chinese chip subsidy programs, it has only so far approved the French government’s backing for STMicroelectronics‘ plans to build a facility in Crolles, France. Intel and TSMC have declared plans to build operations in Germany, but the European Union has not approved them.
