ASML says no European chip factories means zero sales on the continent

Frank Heemskerk, responsible for ASML’s global public affairs, told reporters that the company currently has no customers for its advanced lithography machines in Europe, citing the absence of new chip factories on the continent. He explained that the EU’s Chips Act, introduced in 2023 to double Europe’s share of the global semiconductor market by 2030, has not delivered the promised fab projects, a view echoed by the European Court of Auditors.

While Europe stalls, the United States, China and India are each seeking to attract ASML’s equipment for their own semiconductor ambitions. Customers such as TSMC and Samsung rely on ASML’s machines to produce AI-grade chips, underscoring the strategic importance of the technology. Recent statements from ASML’s CEO Christophe Fouquet and CFO Roger Dassen have also warned that EU regulation is pushing talent abroad and that Europe must be realistic about tech sovereignty. Heemskerk concluded that ASML will only find European buyers when a local fab is finally built.