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The EU must either prove that its digital rules do not punish US tech companies and infringe on freedom of speech or change them, Donald Trump\u2019s ambassador to the bloc has said, to ensure \u201ca good relationship going forward\u201d.<\/p>\n
Andrew Puzder told the Financial Times that the US would make formal submissions to the European Commission under an ongoing review of its digital legislation, \u201cto have some discussions about where the real points of disagreement are and how they can be addressed\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Europeans believe that [the rules] are less restrictive and less targeted than the US believes, and I think we\u2019re going to need to sit down and go through these acts with some care,\u201d Puzder said, to ensure they did not \u201cpunish\u201d US interests.<\/p>\n
The US president has threatened to retaliate<\/a> against countries that \u201cdiscriminate\u201d against American companies. Washington has long railed against the EU\u2019s digital rule book, including the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which aims to curb the power of Big Tech companies, and the Digital Services Act (DSA), which polices content online. <\/p>\n The tension over the EU\u2019s implementation of its tech rules threatens to undermine bilateral ties that have been bolstered by a recent trade deal<\/a>, a promise by European capitals to spend more on defence<\/a> and Trump\u2019s decision to restart support to Ukraine.<\/p>\n Puzder, who took up his post this month, said no US president, regardless of party, \u201ccan sit back and allow these kinds of infringements on Americans\u2019 fundamental rights or, in fact, on American companies\u201d, adding: \u201cSo we\u2019re going to have to either determine that that\u2019s not what\u2019s happening, or we\u2019ll have to make some changes so that it isn\u2019t what\u2019s happening.\u201d<\/p>\n The commission has opened a public consultation on how best to simplify some of its digital legislation. There is some uncertainty about how broad the scope will be, with civil society and some members of the European parliament worried the exercise could weaken some of the rules. The consultation closes on October 14.<\/p>\n Puzder\u2019s comments come amid a renewed lobbying push from Big Tech against the DMA, which entered into force in 2022 and aims to level the playing field for smaller rivals. Companies that do not comply face fines of up to 10 per cent of global revenue. <\/p>\n Apple last week demanded Brussels scrap the legislation<\/a> altogether. Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has personally lobbied<\/a> Trump against it. Google has said it causes \u201csignificant and unintended harm to European users\u201d.<\/p>\n The commission has said it is not considering any repeal of the DMA. It also stresses that the legislation does not take into account where companies are based, but only whether they comply.<\/p>\n The EU\u2019s digital rules \u201ctake up a fair amount of [my] brain space\u201d, Puzder said. \u201cIt seems from my meetings here in the EU, there is a very distinct disagreement as to what the [DMA and DSA] do, what their effect is.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEurope has every right to legislate as it chooses. But I think it would be good if we could have an understanding of each side\u2019s points on this before we get too far along.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile the legislation may look facially neutral, I think that if the intent is to inflict economic pain on competitors outside of Europe to help European companies, that\u2019s something that the United States would object to vehemently,\u201d he added. \u201cObviously, if we\u2019re going to have a good relationship going forward, you can\u2019t have legislation that punishes companies from\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.\u2009your ally.\u201d<\/p>\n At the same time, Puzder praised the commission and its president Ursula von der Leyen for agreeing a broad trade deal with Trump in July that averted a transatlantic trade war. The agreement was proof of how both could benefit if they worked together to find solution, he said. <\/p>\n \u201cIn my opinion, the EU got a good deal,\u201d said Puzder. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of politics about the deal. I think it could be more aggressively defended in Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n