The European Commission stated this Saturday that the Chinese authorities confirmed the partial resumption of exports of chips Nexperiawhich eases a blockade that alarmed the car manufacturers.
The dispute erupted in September, when the Dutch government took effective control of Nexperia, a company based in Netherlandsbut whose parent company is the Chinese Wingtech.
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China, in response, banned re-exports of the company’s products from China to Europe, raising concerns among automakers.
However, Beijing announced over the weekend that it would exempt some chips from the export ban. as part of a trade deal reached by President Xi Jinping and his American counterpart Donald Trump.
European Union (EU) Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic wrote in
Chips for “civilian use”
Exports will be allowed as long as the chips are for “civilian use”Sefcovic added, stating that the measure would come into force “immediately.”
The conversations with China continue to find a “durable, stable and predictable framework that guarantees the full restoration of the flow of semiconductors“he added.
The German company Aumovio, one of the main suppliers to the automotive sector, had already announced on Friday that it had obtained approval from the Chinese authorities to resume exports of Nexperia chips.
The chips are manufactured in Europe, but then sent to China for finishing, before being re-exported to customers in Europe and other markets.
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Volkswagen, Europe’s largest carmaker, had warned of production stoppages if the crisis dragged on.
The Netherlands cited national security reasons when it decided to take control of Nexperia, accusing the company’s CEO of mismanagement.