U.S. Commerce Secretary Signals Continued Strain Over EU Tech Regulations
The U.S. remains firm in its stance against the EU’s regulatory framework affecting technology companies, as indicated by remarks from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Tuesday. His comments come in the wake of a recent trade deal and suggest that further negotiations concerning the EU’s rules on content moderation, digital competition, and artificial intelligence may be imminent, reports 24brussels.
Lutnick’s statements highlight the ongoing tensions, with U.S. officials asserting that American tech firms are under attack from the EU’s regulatory environment. While the bloc insists that these regulations are not negotiable as part of the trade discussions, U.S. lawmakers are increasingly concerned that the recent agreement may embolden further criticisms against EU policies.
There are also growing apprehensions among legislators that the EU might have conceded some aspects of its regulatory stance, potentially giving the U.S. a sense of victory that could lead to more aggressive demands.
EU Stands Firm on Tech Regulations
The European Commission has emphasized that it has not made any concessions regarding its technological regulations, specifically excluding key legislation such as the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act from trade negotiations. “There is absolutely no commitment on digital regulation, nor on digital taxes,” a senior EU official stated on Monday, stressing the need for recognition of the EU’s regulatory autonomy.
This assertion appears to bolster the EU’s position in the international arena. Meanwhile, the U.S. has been actively seeking to negotiate concessions on digital trade barriers in discussions with other nations, such as Indonesia, further complicating the dynamics of U.S.-EU relations.
