US Lawmakers Urge Trade Probes Over EU Tech Rules
A group of 25 U.S. lawmakers has formally written to President Donald Trump, urging him to take decisive action against Europe's technology regulations. The lawmakers are advocating for potential trade investigations, arguing that the European Union’s digital policies unfairly target U.S. Big Tech firms.
The core focus of their letter is the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). This sweeping legislation is aimed at reining in the market power of major technology companies, specifically citing Amazon, Apple, Booking Holdings, TikTok's parent company ByteDance, Google, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft.
Accusations of Anti-Competitive Practices
In the letter, the lawmakers did not hold back in their criticism of Brussels.
"We write to bring to your attention the many ways the EU continues to pursue anti-competitive acts, policies, and practices as a tool of economic extraction and regulatory coercion against American firms," the letter stated.
The lawmakers are encouraging the Trump administration to "take decisive action before the EU further entrenches this anti-American regime." The European Commission has consistently maintained that its rules do not target any specific countries and only seek to ensure a level playing field across the continent.
Key Concerns from Lawmakers
The coalition of lawmakers—all Republicans, with seven sitting on the House of Representatives trade subcommittee, including Chairman Adrian Smith—highlighted several specific grievances:
Cloud Computing: They argued that the likely inclusion of Amazon and Microsoft's cloud units under the DMA would impose unprecedented regulatory burdens that European and Chinese competitors would not face.
Impending Fines: The lawmakers criticized the expected EU fines against Google for alleged breaches of the DMA, arguing the sanctions completely ignore the significant changes the company has already made to its search service.
Unequal Designations: They questioned why American companies like Apple, Meta, and Amazon are designated as "gatekeepers" under DMA rules, while major Chinese retail giants like Temu and AliExpress are excluded. (The EU notes these labels depend heavily on the number of active users within Europe).
Threats of Retaliation
The letter issues a stark warning regarding future transatlantic trade relations. The lawmakers suggested that if a dialogue does not deliver results quickly, the United States should use all available tools. This explicitly includes invoking Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974—an unfair trade practices statute that empowers the U.S. government to impose tariffs or take other severe retaliatory measures.
"It is important to make clear that the EU's access to the U.S. market is not guaranteed and can be limited should the EU continue to pursue discriminatory acts, policies, and practices in the digital sector," the lawmakers concluded, pointing to the unfettered access European businesses currently enjoy in the U.S. market as a direct comparison.