AMSTERDAM/LONDON - The European Commission has begun canvassing the region's semiconductor industry for its views on China's expanded production of older generation computer chips, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The Commission's antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager indicated in April the executive might investigate legacy chips after a meeting in Belgium with U.S. officials, including Commerce Secretary Gina Raimundo. The Commission has sought feedback on draft questions including where industrial firms source their chips. It is seeking information on chip firms' products and pricing, as well as their estimates of the same information from their competitors, including their Chinese competitors.
Europe's industrial, aerospace, automotive, health-tech and energy firms may be reluctant to disclose their use of Chinese legacy chips. They may also be uncertain where the chipsets they use are made, given the cross-border, multi-step nature of chipmaking and packaging.They have sought to diversify their chip suppliers to include production inside and outside China and Taiwan after costly shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic.