Dutch Tech Giant ASML Highlights EU's Inaccessibility, Praises India's Open Engagement with PM Modi

A senior executive of ASML, the global semiconductor equipment leader, publicly criticized the difficulty European companies face in gaining access to top EU policymakers. Speaking at the Europe Summit in Brussels, Frank Heemskerk, ASML’s Executive Vice President for Global Public Relations, remarked, “It's not always easy” to meet senior European officials, quoting a former company member who found it easier to meet a White House official than an EU commissioner.

This comment was made in context after ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet’s recent two-hour meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Heemskerk shared that after listening for an hour and a half, Modi directly asked, “You’ve been very friendly, tell me what we can do better,” underscoring a level of engagement and openness that ASML finds lacking in the EU.

Heemskerk urged European policymakers to pay greater attention to their industrial champions and engage more actively with companies investing in Europe to support innovation and competitiveness.

European AI Collaboration and Mistral Deal

Heemskerk also spoke about ASML’s recent €1.3 billion investment in the French artificial intelligence startup Mistral. This collaboration is seen as a vital step toward advancing Europe’s technological sovereignty, especially in industrial AI, beyond purely geopolitical considerations.

Explaining the partnership, Heemskerk noted, “It's easier because it's a European company, it's easier to understand each other,” referring to the synergy between ASML and Mistral’s focus on industrial AI applications.

The Bigger Picture

The remarks from ASML come amid growing concerns about European companies navigating regulatory hurdles and geopolitical pressures compared to the more direct and accessible policymaking environments seen in other regions such as the US and India. ASML’s stance highlights the need for the EU to be more proactive in supporting its tech champions to maintain and expand its leading position in global semiconductor manufacturing.