The head of Europe's most valuable company warns the EU not to directly intervene in the semiconductor supply chain, believing that reducing dependence on foreign technology requires building stronger companies on the European continent.

ASML CEO Fukai: The EU wants to achieve chip autonomy, so don't directly intervene in the supply chain - "You have to have something to buy first", "If you don't have your own supply chain, how can you intervene (in the supply chain)?" Europe only has 1% of sales proportion, first cultivate "champions" and then talk about "buying Europe first".

Only about 1% of ASML's sales come from Europe, while about 80% come from Asia. Fouquet stated that this makes ASML very "fragile" because the essence of a business is to maintain close contact with customers.

Just a few days ago, the European Union announced a new chip strategy plan, which includes emergency powers to allocate supplies in case of supply shortages, as well as measures aimed at strengthening the European semiconductor industry.

Brussels is seeking to reduce its dependence on American technology companies and Asian manufacturers, as policymakers increasingly weigh the pros and cons of industrial intervention against creating a development and global competitive environment for European businesses.

People often say, 'Let's prioritize purchasing European products,' "said Christophe Fouque, who will become the CEO of ASML in 2024. I think that's great, but the premise is that you must have something to buy

France and other countries are also pushing for more "buy European products" clauses in public procurement, while critics argue that if Europe lacks competitive domestic alternatives, its priority procurement policy will have little effect.

Christophe Fouque stated that Europe needs to cultivate "as many leading companies as possible" throughout the semiconductor supply chain and increase its share in the global chip industry, bringing it closer to its level of approximately 18% of global GDP.

But Christophe Fouque emphasized that Europe must also avoid enacting regulatory frameworks that would push promising companies overseas.

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