Trump: tariffs and sanctions against those who enforce taxes and rules against US big tech. Brussels: 'Europe is sovereign'
Less than a month after the trade truce reached in Scotland, the president threatened retaliation to hit states that 'discriminate' against US groups. Possible measures include export restrictions on advanced technology and semiconductors. The Commission: 'This is not part of the agreement'
3' min read
3' min read
The trade truce between the United States and the European Union is in danger of blowing up before it has even begun. A month after the golf course agreement between Donald Trump and Ursula von der Leyen, and a few days before the joint statement, which should clarify the contours, the US president has once again upped the ante, bringing the clash to a head over web taxes and digital services.
The threat: tariffs and sanctions
Without naming any government, on Monday evening, Trump threatened measures against states that tax and regulate online advertising, social media, e-commerce, and thus put a spoke in the wheels of the star-studded hi-tech giants, such as Meta, X, Amazon, Apple, Alphabet, all siding with him. Retaliation may include tariffs and export restrictions on advanced technology and semiconductors (but in the end-July agreement, the EU pledged to buy $40 billion of US chips).
In the crosshairs are evidently the European Union's technological and antitrust regulations (the Digital Services Act, the Digital Markets Act, the rules on artificial intelligence). In addition, France, Italy and Spain apply a tax on digital services, as does Great Britain. For Trump, these are only measures 'designed to harm or discriminate against American technology', while offering a 'free pass' to Chinese companies.
"Sovereign Europe"
.Yesterday, the European Commission replied dryly: 'It is the sovereign right of the Union and its Member States to regulate economic activities on their territory in a manner consistent with their democratic values,' said spokeswoman Paula Pinho.
The EU rules, the Commission added, "do not look at the colour of a company, its jurisdiction or its owner. They apply to all platforms and companies operating in the EU, regardless of their place of establishment'.
