Core Viewpoint - The U.S. government has publicly named several European multinational companies, warning that if the EU does not change its regulatory approach towards U.S. tech giants, the U.S. will have "no choice" but to retaliate [2] Group 1: U.S. Government's Position - The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) accused the EU and its member states of continuously applying discriminatory and harassing lawsuits, taxes, fines, and directives against U.S. service providers [2] - USTR emphasized that if the EU continues to restrict U.S. service providers' competitiveness through discriminatory means, the U.S. will have to use all available tools to counter these unreasonable measures [2] - The USTR's statement specifically named several European companies, indicating that these firms have enjoyed a highly free operating environment in the U.S. market for decades [2] Group 2: Historical Context of U.S.-EU Relations - The U.S. has long been dissatisfied with the digital tax imposed by Europe, viewing it as a non-tariff trade barrier that harms American businesses [3] - President Trump has previously threatened to impose "substantial" tariffs on countries implementing digital taxes, and the U.S. Congress considered a provision for "revenge tax" against countries deemed discriminatory [3] - Following a significant fine against Google by the EU, Trump warned that he would be forced to invoke Section 301 to overturn such "unfair penalties" to protect U.S. taxpayer interests [4] Group 3: EU's Response - The European Commission responded to the USTR's statement by asserting that the EU is an open and rules-based market, where rules are applied fairly and equally to all companies operating within the EU [6] - EU Trade Commissioner Šefčovič acknowledged that while a trade agreement framework has stabilized relations with the U.S., unexpected issues may arise that require ongoing management efforts [6] - The EU remains firm in its stance on protecting its digital and technological sovereignty, with Šefčovič stating that the EU will safeguard its technological independence [6] Group 4: Ongoing Investigations and Regulatory Changes - Recent reports indicate that the EU has initiated new investigations into U.S. tech companies, including Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta [7] - Despite a strong regulatory approach towards tech giants, the EU is also simplifying regulations related to AI, cybersecurity, and data, aiming to reduce administrative burdens on European companies [7] - The EU regulatory bodies are shifting towards a more flexible model, focusing on data-intensive companies and providing certain exemptions for small and medium-sized enterprises [7]
美国点名多家欧洲巨头,威胁反制“收费”
Di Yi Cai Jing Zi Xun·2025-12-17 07:30