ASML CEO: EU Tech Plans Need Industry Focus

The CEO of ASML, a leading European technology firm, has offered his perspective on the European Union's recent proposals aimed at bolstering the bloc's technological independence. While welcoming the overall direction of the EU Commission's plan, he expressed reservations about the proposed mechanisms for steering or monitoring "strategic projects" eligible for state aid. He argued that these projects fundamentally need to address the requirements of the private sector and that industry-led initiatives are best suited for this purpose.

According to the CEO, a key risk to mitigate is the potential for excessive bureaucracy and complication, stressing the importance of relying on the expertise of private companies. This feedback comes as the EU package seeks to narrow the technology divide separating the bloc from major players like the United States and Asia. The plan includes initiatives to boost demand for domestically produced chips and local cloud services, a demand-focused approach that the ASML CEO acknowledged as a positive development.