Following threats by the US President of potential tariffs and export restrictions in response to EU regulations targeting major tech companies – including the Digital Markets Act – both German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron have voiced strong opposition.
Speaking after a joint Franco-German ministerial meeting in Toulon on Friday, Chancellor Merz emphasized that the European Union’s authority to regulate and tax the digital market is a matter of sole EU sovereignty. He stated that Europe will not tolerate retaliatory measures from any source. While acknowledging room for improvement in existing regulations, he affirmed that such decisions are made independently and in the best interest of Europe, not influenced by differing regulatory approaches elsewhere. He underscored that legislative sovereignty within Europe and its member states will not be compromised.
Merz also pointed to existing trade imbalances, citing the asymmetric tariff agreement previously negotiated with the US government. President Macron echoed the Chancellor’s sentiments, taking a firmer tone. He asserted that decisions on these matters must be made by Europe itself and warned that any measures taken across the Atlantic would necessitate a reciprocal response.
