Dutch government puts Nexperia on a short leash over chip security fears

The Dutch government has placed Nexperia - a Chinese-owned semiconductor company that previously operated Britain's Newport Wafer Fab — under special administrative measures, citing serious governance failures that threaten European tech security.

The Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs invoked the Goods Availability Act in response to what it described as "recent and acute" governance shortcomings at Nexperia, which is owned by China's Wingtech Technology.

Officials warned of a "threat to the continuity and safeguarding on Dutch and European soil of crucial technological knowledge and capabilities." The ministry stated that losing these capabilities would jeopardize both Dutch and European economic security, particularly the availability of chips used in automotive and consumer electronics during emergencies.

Under the special measures, the Minister of Economic Affairs can now block or reverse Nexperia's corporate decisions if deemed harmful to the company's interests, its future as a Dutch operation, or the critical supply chain ...