Digital companies: Washington directly threatens the European Union

The United States is raising its voice against the European Union. Washington is now threatening retaliation if Brussels and Member States do not reverse their regulation of the digital sector, which is considered "discriminatory" against large American companies. The message was published this week by the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR), which accuses the EU of seeking to restrict, limit and discourage the activities of American service providers.

In this message, the US administration denounces an accumulation of lawsuits, taxes, fines and directives targeting American digital companies. The USTR states that if this line is maintained, the United States will use "all tools at its disposal" to counter these measures, which it considers unreasonable. The explicit reference to retaliatory measures marks a hardening of the US stance after several months of diplomatic pressure.

Faced with these threats, the European Commission is taking a firm stance. Its spokesperson, Thomas Regnier, assures that European rules apply equally and fairly to all companies operating in the EU, regardless of their nationality. Brussels intends to continue enforcing its digital legislation without discrimination, despite warnings from Washington.

Since the beginning of the year, the White House has stepped up its criticism of European regulations, in particular the Digital Services Regulation and the Digital Markets Directive. These texts impose stricter controls on the activities of the largest platforms, impose enhanced obligations and aim to punish abuses of dominant positions. In recent years, several billion euros in fines have been imposed on American groups for non-compliance with European law.

The latest episode concerns the social network X, owned by Elon Musk. In early December, the European Commission fined the platform €120 million for non-compliance with the Digital Services Regulation. This sanction was denounced in Washington as an attack on all American technology platforms and, more broadly, on the American people.

In its message, the USTR points out that European service companies have been operating freely in the United States for decades, enjoying broad access to the American market. It cites Accenture, CapGemini, Publicis and the French artificial intelligence unicorn Mistral AI, among others. In the event of retaliation, US law would allow the introduction of entry duties or restrictions on foreign services.

Washington has already attempted to secure a relaxation of European rules, even mentioning a possible reduction in customs duties on European steel and aluminium. The USTR is also warning other countries tempted to adopt a similar strategy to that of the EU that they would face an identical response. The transatlantic standoff over digital regulation is now set to continue, with a growing risk of trade escalation. Le Monde

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