EU defends digital sovereignty, shrugs Trump’s tariff threats
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In response to Trump’s tariff threats, the EU stands firm on its Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act, defending them as essential tools to regulate the digital economy and protect European interests.
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European Union flags flap in the wind as people walk by European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Tuesday, Aug 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)
The European Commission has reaffirmed its right to regulate major technology platforms within the bloc, pushing back against accusations from US President Donald Trump that Brussels’ rules unfairly target American firms.
Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho emphasized that regulating digital markets was a matter of sovereignty: “It is the sovereign right of the EU and its member states to regulate economic activities on our territory in line with our democratic values.”
At the heart of the dispute are two cornerstone pieces of legislation: the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which addresses competition and market dominance, and the Digital Services Act (DSA), which governs online content moderation and user protections.
The DMA targets so-called “gatekeepers,” large companies such as Google, Apple, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok-owner ByteDance, and Booking.com, by prohibiting practices like self-preferencing and unfair restrictions in app stores. Repeat violations can lead to fines of up to 20% of global turnover.
Meanwhile, the DSA obliges platforms to swiftly remove illegal content, suspend repeat offenders, and conduct risk assessments for platforms with more than 45 million EU users, with fines of up to 6% of global turnover for non-compliance.
Brussels has already demonstrated its determination to enforce these rules. In April, Apple was fined €500 million for blocking app developers from steering users toward external offers, while Meta was hit with a €200 million penalty over its controversial “pay or consent” advertising model.
Trump’s tariff threats
Tensions escalated this week after Trump warned of “substantial additional tariffs” on countries that impose digital rules he claims are discriminatory toward US firms. The threat came less than a month after Washington and Brussels unveiled a major US-EU trade deal, which included a 15% tariff ceiling on most EU exports to the US and significant EU commitments to purchase American energy.
EU trade chief Maroš Šefčovič stressed that digital regulation had been kept separate from trade negotiations, insisting that Europe’s “regulatory autonomy” was non-negotiable.
Across the Atlantic, critics, including Trump’s administration, have framed the DSA as a censorship tool that stifles American voices.
EU digital spokesperson Thomas Regnier dismissed such claims as “completely unfounded,” arguing that the laws apply equally to all companies operating in Europe, regardless of nationality.
