ASM Lithography, Silicon Valley Group announce intent to withdraw

ASM Lithography Holding NV (Amsterdam Exchanges and NASDAQ: ASML) and Silicon Valley Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: SVGI) today announced that in order to provide additional time to address certain US government inquiries pertaining to the pending merger, the companies, on Friday, January 5, 2001, voluntarily requested the withdrawal of their filing in connection with the Exon-Florio review process and plan to refile their petition by the end of the month.

Doug Dunn, Chief Executive Officer of ASML, said, "This initiative, done in good faith and full cooperation with US government officials, is consistent with our resolve to complete this transaction in a timely fashion. By refiling the petition, we believe that we will be able to be more responsive to the US government's review, providing them some additional time to finalize their work and thereby advance the approval process."

Exon-Florio is the common name for the review process the US government uses to screen acquisitions of US companies such as Silicon Valley Group by foreign entities such as ASML. The review, which is performed by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, is authorized by the Exon-Florio Amendment to the Defense Production Act of 1950. Having already received antitrust clearance, the consummation of the merger agreement remains subject to the Exon-Florio review process, approval by SVG's stockholders and other customary conditions. For more information about the merger agreement and the combining companies, please see the October 2, 2000, press release announcing the transaction at www.asml.com and the proxy statement/prospectus related to the merger on file with Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov.

In connection with the proposed transaction, ASML has filed a registration statement on Form F-4 and SVG has filed a proxy statement/prospectus, each with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors and security holders are advised to read the registration statement and the proxy statement/prospectus when they become available because they will contain important information. Investors and security holders may obtain a free copy of the proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed by SVG with the Securities and Exchange Commission at the Securities and Exchange Commission's web site at www.sec.gov. Free copies of the registration statement and other documents filed by ASML with the SEC may be obtained from ASML by directing a request to ASML, Attention: Franki D'Hoore. Free copies of the proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed by SVG with the SEC may also be obtained from SVG by directing a request to SVG, Attention: Manager of Investor Relations.

SVG and its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from SVG stockholders in favor of the merger. These directors and executive officers include the following: Michael J. Attardo, Papken S. Der Torossian, William A. Hightower, William L. Martin, Nam P. Suh, Lawrence Tomlison, Russell G. Weinstock, John Shamaly, Steven L. Jensen, Jeffrey M. Kowalski, and Borris Lipkin. Collectively, as of December 20, 2000, the directors and executive officers of SVG may be deemed to beneficially own approximately 5.29% of the outstanding shares of SVG common stock. Investors and security holders may obtain additional information regarding the interests of the participants by reading the registration statement and proxy statement/prospectus when each becomes available.