European heads of state are personally calling Dutch companies to persuade them to relocate, caretaker economic affairs minister Vincent Karremans told MPs on Wednesday, the Financieele Dagblad has reported.

“There are European heads of state who phone our companies to lure them to their country,” he is quoted as saying during a debate on the semiconductor industry. Karremans did not name countries or firms, but later added that elsewhere in Europe the “red carpet is rolled out” for businesses with geopolitical value.

His comments follow years of speculation that France has shown interest in ASML, the Veldhoven-based chip machine maker, the FD pointed out. The company appointed Frenchman Christophe Fouquet as chief executive last year and has been advised by former French minister Bruno Le Maire.

In early 2024, ASML threatened to expand production outside the Netherlands, prompting the cabinet to assemble a €2.5 billion package, code-named Beethoven, to keep the project in Veldhoven.

Karremans argued that the Netherlands needs a more active industrial policy to compete. “For a long time we were very Calvinist about these things,” he said. “We also need a more active industry policy than we were used to,” the FD quoted him as saying.

VVD MP Claire Martens-America urged the minister to raise the issue with other EU countries, pointing out that member states are meant to work together on chip development. “We all know we host companies that other countries would like to have. Is that discussed between governments?” she asked.

GroenLinks-PvdA MP Joris Thijssen criticised the minister for not doing enough to secure ASML’s expansion, citing the lack of certainty about electricity grid capacity and nitrogen pollution permits. “The risk that ASML cannot expand is huge,” he said.

Karremans said he could not guarantee permits but said he was prepared to push back other grid users to prioritise ASML. “Nothing is too much to make sure this connection succeeds. Sometimes I even call companies myself to ask if they can wait a little longer, because this is such a major economic interest.”

The minister said he receives monthly updates on project Beethoven. He also confirmed that chip firms and provinces are asking for more state funding for innovation, but declined to comment further ahead of budget day later this month.