EU Fights Back Against Trump’s Tariff Threat, Says Digital Rules Treat All Firms Equally

<p>The European Commission has dismissed accusations by US President Donald Trump that its digital regulations unfairly target American technology firms. Trump&rsquo;s warning came on Monday when he announced plans to impose additional tariffs on countries that introduce digital taxes or legislation, claiming such measures were &ldquo;all designed to harm or discriminate against American technology.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Responding to the criticism, the Commission firmly rejected the claims, stating that the EU&rsquo;s regulatory framework is not discriminatory, reported Reuters. &ldquo;It is the sovereign right of the EU and its member states to regulate economic activities,&rdquo; a spokesperson said.</p>
<h2><strong>Digital Acts Apply to All Platforms, Says EU</strong></h2>
<p>Trump&rsquo;s remarks follow his administration&rsquo;s long-standing opposition to the EU&rsquo;s Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Digital Services Act (DSA). These laws aim to curb the dominance of major tech platforms and enforce accountability on harmful and illegal online content.</p>
<p>According to the Commission, both acts apply to all companies operating within the EU, not just US-based firms. Highlighting recent enforcement actions, the spokesperson noted that the last three DSA decisions targeted Chinese-owned platforms AliExpress, Temu, and TikTok. Investigations are also underway into X and Meta. The Commission stressed that these measures are essential to ensuring transparency and user safety in the digital space.</p>
<h2><strong>Censorship Allegations &ldquo;Completely Wrong&rdquo;</strong></h2>
<p>Addressing claims by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg that EU data laws amount to censorship, the spokesperson called such assertions &ldquo;completely wrong and unfounded.&rdquo; The DSA does not mandate content removal, they explained, but rather requires platforms to uphold their own published standards.</p>
<p>&ldquo;When we&rsquo;re talking about this, more than 99 per cent of content moderation decisions taken here in the EU online are proactively done by platforms based on their own terms and conditions,&rdquo; the spokesperson said.</p>
<h2><strong>Trade Talks Overshadowed by Digital Dispute</strong></h2>
<p>The controversy arises despite recent progress in EU-US trade relations. Last week, both sides agreed to cap most US tariffs on EU goods at 15%, although digital services were notably absent from the agreement.</p>
<p>Trump&rsquo;s latest tariff threat raises the stakes as negotiations continue, signalling that digital regulation could become a major flashpoint in transatlantic trade ties. For now, Brussels maintains that its digital rules are designed to protect consumers and foster fair competition &mdash; regardless of where a company is headquartered.</p>