智通财经网·2025-05-30 12:18Group 1 - Germany's new culture minister, Wolfram Weimer, revealed plans to impose a 10% tax on large online platforms like Alphabet's Google and Meta's Facebook, potentially escalating trade tensions with the Trump administration [1] - Weimer criticized these companies for their "cunning tax evasion" and emphasized that they benefit significantly from Germany's media, culture, and infrastructure while contributing little in taxes [1] - The proposal is part of a broader consideration by the German government to introduce a digital services tax, aligning with agreements made by the ruling coalition earlier this year [2] Group 2 - The timing of this proposal coincides with sensitive U.S.-EU relations, as the Trump administration has accused the EU of unfair trade practices and has plans to impose tariffs on EU imports [2] - The U.S. is prepared to retaliate against countries perceived to have unfair tax systems, with legislative measures in Congress aimed at imposing "retaliatory taxes" on nations that levy digital services taxes on U.S. companies [2][3] - Weimer's comments highlight concerns over monopolistic structures of large digital platforms, which he argues limit competition and threaten freedom of speech [3]