U.S. Says Europe’s Tech Rules Are a Trade Barrier
European tech regulations are barriers to trade that disproportionately affect American companies, according to a U.S. trade report published one day before President Trump’s planned reciprocal tariffs. The European Union applies some of its toughest digital rules to the world’s biggest companies and online platforms, including Google, Apple and Meta Platforms. The U.S. trade report said the rules put a disproportionate burden on American companies and have resulted in what it called “excessive fines” for violating a law that aims to make it easier for smaller companies to compete against tech giants.