The European Commission reiterated its right to set independent tech regulations after US President Donald Trump threatened new tariffs on countries with digital policies he considers unfair to American companies.
The European Commission on Tuesday defended the EU’s right to set and enforce its own tech rules, following threats from US President Donald Trump to impose additional tariffs on countries with digital policies he deems “discriminatory.” Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho stated, "It is the sovereign right of the EU and its member states to regulate economic activities on our territory, which are consistent with our democratic values."
Trump, in a post on Truth Social, warned he would “impose substantial additional Tariffs” and place export restrictions on technology and chips for countries with digital rules he believes disadvantage American companies. The statement came days after Trump and Brussels issued a joint statement formalizing a tariff truce provisionally established at Turnberry, Scotland.
"As the President of the United States, I will stand up to Countries that attack our incredible American Tech Companies," Trump said. “America, and American Technology Companies, are neither the 'piggy bank' nor the 'doormat' of the World any longer. Show respect to America and our amazing Tech Companies or, consider the consequences!”
The Trump administration and allied tech executives have repeatedly criticized the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), accusing Brussels of censorship and arguing that the law would impose costs on US companies. The DSA regulates major online platforms, search engines, and e-commerce services, requiring those with over 45 million EU users—including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok—to address risks like misinformation and harm to minors.
Responding to Trump’s accusations, Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier stressed the neutrality of EU rules: “The DSA does not look at the color of a company, at the jurisdiction of a company, nor the owner of a company. The DSA and the DMA both apply to all platforms and companies operating in the EU irrespective of their place of establishment… The last three enforcement decisions that we took were against AliExpress, Temu and against TikTok.”
The Digital Markets Act (DMA), along with the DSA, forms the cornerstone of the EU’s digital policy. While the DSA focuses on platform obligations for misinformation and child safety, the DMA aims to ensure fair competition by requiring tech giants to open up their services.
Regnier also noted that Brussels and Washington share common ground on many digital issues, including online child protection and election integrity, with disagreements limited to “very tiny aspects” of the legislation.
During a conference in Alpbach, Sabine Weyand, head of the Commission’s trade department, said, “We have always been very clear, our regulation is nondiscriminatory and we will apply it as decided by our democratic institutions. That is not up for concessions or negotiations with other countries. That doesn’t change.”
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