The article, discusses the unprecedented use of the Dutch Goods Availability Act (Wet beschikbaarheid goederen) by the government in relation to the governance of Nexperia, a Dutch chip manufacturer owned by the Chinese company Wingtech.
In an interview with Pim Jansen, Professor of Economic Administrative Law at Erasmus University Rotterdam, the article explains that this 1952 law was originally created during the Cold War to ensure the availability of essential goods in times of crisis - but it had never been invoked before.
The move came amid intensifying global tensions: just a day after the U.S. tightened export controls on Chinese-linked chip firms, and as China imposed new restrictions on rare earth exports.
Following the government’s action, the Dutch Enterprise Chamber also intervened by suspending Nexperia’s Chinese CEO - a separate but related step to safeguard the company’s continuity. Jansen notes that while chip production continues unaffected, the decision has angered China and will almost certainly lead to a legal challenge questioning whether the government’s use of the Act was legitimate or veered into economic protectionism.
The article examines the Dutch government’s unprecedented use of the Goods Availability Act to intervene in Nexperia, a Chinese-owned chip manufacturer based in Nijmegen. It highlights how this rare legal step reflects growing concerns over strategic autonomy, national security, and economic protectionism in the global semiconductor industry.