Trump issues threat of tariffs against EU in digital tax confrontation

The former US President, Donald Trump, recently announced on Truth Social that he would defend American technology companies against countries that attack them. However, it's important to note that Trump did not explicitly mention the EU or individual EU countries in his statements.

The EU, on the other hand, does not consider its current digital rules as unjustified, unlike the USA. The EU's digital services law, designed to combat the spread of misinformation on platforms and affect companies like Amazon, Apple, Facebook (Meta), Alphabet (Google), and Microsoft, is not a censorship instrument, according to a commission spokesman.

The US government has been calling for changes to the strict EU digital laws for some time. Trump threatened states with additional tariffs on their exports to the US and export restrictions on American technology and computer chips if they do not change their regulations. However, spokespeople for the European Commission have stated that the EU will not let Trump dictate the rules it sets for digital platforms and companies.

The EU remains unmoved by new tariff threats and demands from Trump. The commission spokesman stressed that the rules are not just about fair competition, but also about protecting children and democratic elections. The EU's digital rules aim to protect children and democratic elections, according to the commission spokesman.

Officially, the EU Commission has resisted applying exceptions demanded by Trump’s threats to exempt US companies from strict EU digital laws. Leading EU politicians, including France’s Prime Minister François Bayrou and Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, have publicly criticized concessions perceived to weaken EU digital protections. There is no explicit statement naming Trump’s threats directly opposed by individuals, but Brussels has taken a firm stance not to yield on these laws despite US pressure.

The BSI (Federal Office for Information Security) President believes digital sovereignty is currently unattainable. Meanwhile, the USA and EU have agreements in place that provide for a tariff cap of 15 percent for almost all products. The BSI has outlined a strategy for achieving digital sovereignty, but this is a separate topic, not directly related to the EU-US tariff agreement.

In conclusion, while Trump has made statements about defending American technology companies, the EU has maintained a firm stance on its digital rules, emphasising their role in protecting children and democratic elections. The EU has resisted US pressure to make exceptions for US companies, and leading EU politicians have publicly criticised perceived concessions that could weaken EU digital protections.