US Threatens Retaliation Against EU Over 'Discriminatory' Treatment of American Tech Companies

The United States Trade Representative has issued a sharp warning to the European Union, threatening to impose fees and restrictions on European companies if the bloc continues to target American tech firms with what the U.S. describes as discriminatory regulatory practices. The statement accuses the EU and certain member states of persisting in a course of harassing lawsuits, taxes, and fines against U.S. service providers.



In a post on X, the USTR argued that American companies provide substantial free services to EU citizens and support millions of jobs across the continent, contributing more than $100 billion in direct investment. Despite this, the agency claims the United States has raised concerns for years without seeing any meaningful engagement or basic acknowledgement from European officials.


The trade representative contrasted the regulatory environment in Europe with the open market in the U.S., noting that EU providers have operated freely in the States for decades. The statement specifically listed several major European firms that benefit from this access, including Accenture, SAP, Siemens, and Spotify. The agency warned that if the EU continues to deter the competitiveness of U.S. providers, the United States "will have no choice but to begin using every tool at its disposal" to counter those measures.

This escalation arrives amid a contentious period between Apple and European regulators. Apple recently challenged the EU in court, describing the Digital Markets Act as a "hugely onerous" burden that ignores intellectual property rights. The company was fined €500 million earlier this year for alleged anti-steering violations, though reports suggest Apple is currently nearing a settlement to resolve ongoing antitrust investigations and avoid further penalties.

The USTR noted that it plans to take a similar approach with other countries that pursue strategies modeled after the EU's regulations.

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