Photo: Afghan National Police
The Netherlands and the rest of Europe risk being left behind in the world, fears ASML CEO Peter Wennink. He believes that changing this requires a clear vision from the government, but it lacks that. “We have many separate solutions, but they are not connected to each other,” the head of the manufacturer of critical chip machines at TU Eindhoven said on Monday. “The government must provide a long-term vision. There is nothing, there is a lack of focus.”
During the opening of the academic year, Wennink expressed concern about earning capacity in the Netherlands and other European countries. He called for more cooperation and taking more risks to compete with other power blocs. “If you look at the big shifts, things are happening faster in other parts of the world.”
According to Weinink, it is clear that the United States is now taking the lead when it comes to technology, while East Asian countries are specializing in renewable electricity, electric cars and batteries. “In twenty years, you’ll be buying a Chinese car and Japanese stuff, because they’re better at it,” Wennink explained. According to him, this is a problem. “And we can do something about it, because we have world-class companies and researchers.”
The government should mainly play a facilitating role, according to ASML’s CEO. In his opinion, this also requires better cooperation between different ministries.
Wennink also sees a problem with “complacency” in society itself. According to him, we have all become “fat, stupid, and happy.”
