MATCH Act
Bipartisan US bill to ban DUV lithography sales to Chinese chipmakers; introduced 2 April 2026.
Last refreshed: 7 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Would the MATCH Act force the Netherlands to ban ASML's own DUV sales to China?
Timeline for MATCH Act
Seven CEOs ask Brussels for less
European Tech Sovereignty- What is the MATCH Act and would it ban ASML DUV sales to China?
- The MATCH Act is a bipartisan US bill introduced on 2 April 2026 that would ban DUV lithography equipment sales to Chinese chipmakers. ASML, based in the Netherlands, is the primary DUV supplier globally, so the bill would directly affect EU exports.Source: US Congress, April 2026
- What is the difference between EUV and DUV chip manufacturing machines?
- EUV (extreme ultraviolet) machines make the most advanced sub-7nm chips and are exclusively made by ASML; DUV (deep ultraviolet) machines are older but can produce chips at nodes used in automotive, defence, and industrial applications. China has been scaling DUV use since the EUV export ban.
- Has the MATCH Act passed Congress?
- As of May 2026 the MATCH Act had been introduced but not enacted. Its bipartisan sponsorship from Senate Banking and House Foreign Affairs committee members gives it cross-chamber backing, but a vote date has not been set.
Background
The MATCH Act (Modernising America's Technology Controls and Halting China Act) was introduced in the US Congress on 2 April 2026 as a bipartisan bill sponsored by members of the Senate Banking Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee. It would ban the sale of deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography equipment to Chinese chipmakers, extending existing restrictions on the most advanced extreme ultraviolet (EUV) machines already in place. The MATCH Act is referenced in the European sovereignty context because DUV machines are manufactured primarily by ASML in the Netherlands, and any US restriction on ASML's ability to fulfil DUV export licences would directly affect EU industrial policy and the Chips Act investment environment.
Existing US export controls, introduced under the Biden administration in 2022-23, already restricted the most advanced EUV machines. DUV machines are an older but still significant technology capable of producing chips at nodes used in automotive, defence, and industrial sectors. Chinese chipmakers have been scaling DUV-based production to compensate for the EUV ban.
The MATCH Act's progress in Congress will be closely watched by ASML, the Dutch government, and the EU Commission because it would require US allies to choose between compliance with US trade restrictions and their own companies' commercial interests. ASML's CEO was among the seven signatories of the May 2026 Brussels sovereignty letter, though ASML's involvement was on the broader regulatory environment rather than specifically on the MATCH Act.
