EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič has bluntly declared that everything can be weaponized, using the recent collision between the Dutch state and chipmaker Nexperia as a key example of how trade and industry risks are shifting beneath our feet. In an exclusive interview with Euronews, Šefčovič argued that Europe now faces a reality where critical dependencies—on chips, minerals, logistics, and manufacturing—can be leveraged as strategic tools.

The controversy erupted when Dutch authorities sought to seize controlling stakes in Nexperia, citing national security threats. China responded by halting exports of crucial components to European firms—demonstrating to Šefčovič that indeed, everything can be weaponized, the EU trade chief warned. The interplay of regulatory decisions, trade flows, and geopolitical counter-measures points to a new kind of economic warfare.

Šefčovič says the European Union must evolve its industrial and trade frameworks accordingly. The old logic of lowest-cost sourcing and lean supply chains is insufficient. Instead, he proposes several structural reforms rooted in the principle that everything can be weaponized. These include mandatory stockpiles of strategic technologies, diversification of sourcing, real-time supply-chain monitoring, and an EU-wide export-control regime for sensitive items.

Some analysts remain sceptical, pointing out that building a resilient alternative to China-centred supply networks is a decade-long project. Still, the message is clear: everything can be weaponised, EU trade chief, and the EU’s policy design must reflect that shift. The Nexperia episode may be just the start.

Speculatively, if firms fail to adapt, Europe could see a new category of “supply-chain injury” that rivals physical damage in its impact on economies and political stability.