Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Sjoerd Sjoerdsma announced on 23 July 2026 that the Netherlands is joining the Pax Silica alliance. He made the announcement during his visit to the United States. Today in Washington, DC, Mr Sjoerdsma signed the declaration formalising the Netherlands’ membership of the alliance in the presence of US Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg.
Working within this alliance of key players in the AI and chip industries, the Netherlands can help enhance economic security in a geopolitically turbulent world. This will enable us to boost our resilience across the entire value chain, from critical raw materials to the finished product. It will also help the Netherlands retain its leading role in the global chip sector.
The challenges posed by AI are enormous, but the opportunities are at least as great. Chips, AI and digital infrastructure are now indispensable parts of the 21st-century economy. Being part of the Pax Silica alliance will contribute both directly and indirectly to the Netherlands’ earning capacity by generating more financing in the field of AI and more Dutch jobs in the high-tech sector.
On signing the Pax Silica Declaration, Mr Sjoerdsma commented: ‘The Netherlands plays a unique, leading role in the global chip industry. Pax Silica presents opportunities for the Dutch economy and will strengthen the Netherlands’ trading position. Within Pax Silica we’ll be working with other countries to bolster our economic security in a geopolitically turbulent world.’
The European Commission and other EU member states have also said they intend to sign up to the initiative soon. This is important for the Netherlands, because of the major role the EU plays when it comes to technological leadership.