EU Refutes Claims That Digital Rules Target U.S. Tech Firms

The European Commission has responded to U.S. President Donald Trump’s criticism that EU digital regulations unfairly target American technology companies, stating that the rules do not amount to censorship.
On Monday, Trump announced plans to impose additional tariffs on countries with digital taxes or regulations, claiming these measures are intended to disadvantage U.S. tech firms.
Last week, the United States and the European Union issued a joint statement agreeing to limit most U.S. tariffs on EU exports to 15%, with limited reference to digital services.
The Trump administration has expressed concerns about the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which aims to regulate large technology companies, and the Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires major online platforms to address illegal and harmful content.
The European Commission, which introduced both regulations, said it is within the EU’s authority to regulate economic activities within its jurisdiction. The Commission emphasised that the DMA and DSA apply to all companies operating in the EU, not solely U.S. firms.
A spokesperson noted that recent enforcement actions under the DSA have involved companies such as AliExpress, Temu, and TikTok, which are based in China. Investigations under the DSA have also been opened concerning X and Meta.
Regarding claims that the EU’s data laws act as censorship of social media content, a spokesperson stated these assertions are inaccurate.
The DSA requires platforms to enforce their own terms and conditions, which define content that is not permitted. The spokesperson added that over 99% of content moderation decisions within the EU are proactively made by platforms according to their own policies.