ASML CEO warns EU against overseeing chip projects in sovereignty push

ASML CEO Warns EU Commission Not to Direct Strategic Projects

ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet on Friday responded to the European Commission’s newly proposed tech sovereignty package, welcoming its overall ambition but cautioning Brussels against assuming a direct role in steering or monitoring “strategic projects” eligible for state aid. In a LinkedIn post, Fouquet argued that the Commission should lean on private sector expertise rather than bureaucratic oversight when managing such projects.

A Response to the EU’s Tech Sovereignty Push

The Commission on June 3 unveiled what it called the European Technological Sovereignty Package, a sweeping set of measures spanning semiconductors, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and open-source software. The package includes the Chips Act 2.0, which introduces new mechanisms to boost advanced chip production, reduce strategic dependencies, and grant the Commission emergency powers to prioritize chip manufacturing during supply crises.europa

Under the revised chips framework, the Commission would gain authority to issue priority-rated orders requiring manufacturers to prioritize certain production, while companies complying would be shielded from liability for breaching existing contracts. The proposals also establish tiered sovereignty requirements for cloud providers in sensitive sectors.techpolicy

Fouquet’s pushback centers on provisions that would allow the Commission to oversee projects receiving state aid rather than deferring to industry knowledge. His stance echoes the position he outlined in a May 4 open letter co-signed with the CEOs of Airbus, Ericsson, Nokia, SAP, Siemens, and Mistral AI, which called for “robust, market-driven sector policy support” and warned against “rigid, detailed requirements” that fail to “keep pace with the speed of technological development”.asml

Fouquet’s Pattern of Policy Criticism

The ASML chief has grown increasingly vocal about European regulatory overreach. In May, he told Politico that the EU’s AI regulations are “restrictive and out of sync with industry needs” and could drive companies away from the bloc. In January, he urged Europe to be “realistic” about technological sovereignty, cautioning against unrealistic self-sufficiency goals.politico

The tech sovereignty package now moves to negotiations between the Commission, European Parliament, and member states. Investment requirements are substantial: an estimated €120 billion for semiconductors and €200 billion for data centers by 2036. Whether industry voices like Fouquet’s reshape the final legislation will depend on those negotiations in the months ahead.reuters