Members of the US Congress have introduced a new bill, known as the MATCH Act, aimed at tightening rules for exporting high-tech chip technology. The goal is to ensure that allies, including the Netherlands, follow the same strict standards as American companies. This could have major consequences for the Dutch chipmaker ASML.
The proposal, which has support from both Republican and Democratic senators, suggests that the US should first use diplomacy to encourage allies to toughen their rules. However, if that fails, the bill allows the US to take direct action. This might include blocking the export of essential American parts that ASML needs to build its machines.
A key part of the plan is to restrict all chip-making machines that use “deep ultraviolet” (DUV) light. Currently, ASML still sells older versions of these machines to China, where they are used as the “workhorses” of the industry. While the Dutch government has already limited sales of the most advanced DUV models, this new US bill could stop the sale and even the servicing of almost all such equipment in China.
@anp | NEWS BRAINPORT
