A lithography system having one or more lithography elements Each lithography element has a plurality of lithography subsystems. The lithography system further has a control network forming a control network path between the plurality of the lithography subsystems and at least one element control unit for communication of control information. The lithography system is arranged for: issuing control information to the at least one element control unit to control operation of one or more of the lithography subsystems for exposure of one or more wafers; issuing a process program to the element control unit. The process program has a set of predefined commands and associated parameters. The element control unit is arranged to transmit a command of the process program to a lithography subsystem to be executed by the lithography subsystem, regardless of an execution status of a preceding command transmitted to the lithography subsystem.