Minister of Economic Affairs Invokes Goods Availability Act for Nexperia

News item | 12-10-2025 | 21:30

On Tuesday, 30 September 2025, the Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs invoked the Goods Availability Act (Wet beschikbaarheid goederen) due to serious governance shortcomings at semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia. The company’s headquarters are located in Nijmegen, with additional subsidiaries in various countries around the world. The decision aims to prevent a situation in which the goods produced by Nexperia (finished and semi-finished products) would become unavailable in an emergency. The company’s regular production process can continue.

Reason for intervention under the Goods Availability Act

The Act has been invoked following recent and acute signals of serious governance shortcomings and actions within Nexperia. These signals posed a threat to the continuity and safeguarding on Dutch and European soil of crucial technological knowledge and capabilities. Losing these capabilities could pose a risk to Dutch and European economic security. Nexperia produces, among other things, chips used in the European automotive industry and in consumer electronics.

This measure is intended to mitigate that risk. On de basis of the order, company decisions may be blocked or reversed by the minister of Economic Affairs if they are (potentially) harmful to the interests of the company, to its future as a Dutch and European enterprise, and/or to the preservation of this critical value chain for Europe. The company’s regular production process can continue. 

Invoking the Goods Availability Act by the Minister is highly exceptional. Only due to the significant scale and urgency of the governance deficiencies at Nexperia has the decision been made to apply the Act. This is a measure the government uses only when absolutely necessary. The application of this Act in this case is solely intended to prevent governance shortcomings at the specific company concerned and is not directed at other companies, the sector, or other countries. Parties may lodge an objection to this decision before the courts.