USA vs europe's Digital Laws: Threat by name against Spotify, DHL, SAP & Siemens
The EU's far-reaching digital laws have long been a thorn in the side of the US. Because Brussels rejects requested changes, the US government is threatening.
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The US government has once again accused the EU “and certain EU member states“ of discrimination and legal and financial harassment of US companies, but for the first time has now threatened several European companies by name. In a post on the X microblogging service, the office of US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer writes that DHL, SAP, Siemens, Spotify, as well as Accenture, Amadeus, Capgemini, and Publicis have free and unimpeded access to the US market and consumers in the United States.
Should the EU and EU member states continue to insist on “restricting“ the competitiveness of US service providers, the US will have no choice but to “use all available means“ to counteract this. Specifically, the post states that the US could, for example, impose new fees or restrict foreign services. Other states “that pursue a strategy along the lines of the EU“ would face similar threats. A spokesperson for the EU Commission pointed out to the Wall Street Journal that the rules apply equally and fairly to everyone.
Further Escalation
The threat and the naming of several large EU corporations represent a new escalation in the ongoing dispute between the US and the EU over Europe's regulation. This primarily concerns the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The US government repeatedly claims that these laws exclusively affect US companies, even though they apply equally to all firms. The sometimes aggressive enforcement and the potentially high fines are also a thorn in the US government's side.
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In attempts to counter these rules, the US government has primarily relied on concessions in trade disputes so far, offering lower tariffs on steel and aluminum if the EU were to adjust its regulations. Greer is now trying a different approach with overt threats against European companies. Just a few weeks ago, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Katherina Reiche (CDU) also lobbied for easing digital legislation after a meeting with US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, specifically mentioning the DSA and DMA.
(mho)
