Bessente demands from Europe scrap “ unjust '' shakedown

Treasury secretary Scott Bessent warned European allies on Tuesday that their Digital services tax On American technological companies, threatens broader trade relations and Western technological unit.

The deployment of laws on Europe's technological regulation, such as Digital Services Act and the Digital market act have become a point of snack in broader transatlantic trade negotiations. US officials and Bessent argue that such digital taxes are unjustly overcome US companies and could sap up joint competition with China. (Related: “Strong and clear message”: European bureaucrats slap the giants of American technology with massive fines)

“We are negotiating with many different interests,” said Bessent at a White House press conference on Tuesday. “Some European countries have carried out an unfair digital service tax on our major internet supplier – France and Italy – other counties, in Germany and Poland, do not have that. We therefore want to see this unfair tax of one of the large American industries abolished. It will be an appearance.

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The comments report a more combative approach to the Trump administration, which has long criticized the regulatory management of Europe of American technological platforms – but US officials now seem determined to make regulatory perspective a prerequisite for more in -depth economic integration.

Country like France And Italy In fact, uses digital service taxes that target the sources of income for American companies such as Google, Meta and Amazon. European officials say that the samples tackle corporate tax escape, but the Trump administration has characterized Fines as a “source of income for countries that have failed to cultivate their own economic success”.

“THE [Digital Services Act] Regulates online intermediaries and platforms such as markets, social networks, content sharing platforms, application stores and online travel and accommodation platforms ”, the European Commission website states. “Its main objective is to prevent illegal and harmful activities online and the spread of disinformation. It guarantees user safety, protects fundamental rights and creates a fair and open online platform environment. ”

Sal Nuzzo, Executive Director of Consumer Defense, led commercial talks as an opportunity to “[deliver] A blow to our shared opponent. »»

“When our allies punish American companies while doing business with Communist China, it makes things more expensive for us,” Nuzzo told Daily Caller News Foundation. “The current trade negotiations present the ideal opportunity for our European allies to strengthen our partnership thanks to more open and fair regulatory regimes resulting in a victory for both parties and by providing a blow to our common opponent.”

The economic imbalance was striking. Between 2013 and 2023, American exports from digital services to the EU jumped $ 12.8 billion to $ 17.9 billion, but US companies were affected with around $ 5.3 billion in data confidentiality fines – more than 83% of all these penalties levied in the general data protection regulation (GDPR) Europe, of the general data protection regulation framework (GDPR), which within the framework of the general regulations for the protection of European data (GDPR), was deducted, within the framework of the general regulation of the protection of data in Europe (GDPR), according to to the Foundation of Information and Innovation Technologies.

Andrew Bremberg, a former United States Ambassador to Geneva and Director of the Domestic Policy Council, said the European regulatory posture had long disadvantaged American companies and threatens to derail cooperation on shared strategic priorities. (Related: the bureaucrats of Europe whistle as they go to the green energy trap of China)

“American workers and companies have been frustrated for decades by unjust prices and heavy regulations implemented by European countries in search of an economic advantage,” Bremberg at the DCNF. “SThe Denator Bessent is right to call protectionist and harmful policies targeting one of our fastest and innovative growth industries. While President Trump and his cabinet bring foreign leaders to the table for commercial negotiations, our European partners must take good faith measures towards a fairer, balanced and common sense approach to our trade and international relations. »»

With Brussels who are advancing both digital markets and the Digital Services Act – two initiatives aimed at reinstating major technologies – the American authorities fear that the EU will build a legal environment that distinguishes American companies while offering Chinese competitors a pass.

Vice-President JD Vance also sounded the alarm, warning European leaders that their regulatory zeal could “kill a processing industry”, indicating that the Trump administration will not tolerate the rules it considers as a censorship or industrial sabotage.

“The Trump administration is disturbed by information that certain foreign governments plan to tighten the screws of American technological companies with international footprints,” said Vance at the top of the Paris AI in February. “Now America cannot and will not accept it, and we think it is a terrible error not only for the United States of America, but for your own countries.”