A dispute over trade relations with the United States has sparked criticism within Germany, with leading figures from the Green Party accusing Chancellor Friedrich Merz of advocating for a potentially detrimental agreement.
Franziska Brantner, a prominent figure within the Green Party, voiced strong concerns regarding a letter reportedly sent by German digital businesses to Chancellor Merz. She asserted that his efforts to pressure the European Commission into reaching a deal with the U.S. are “harmful and uneuropa.
The core of the criticism revolves around reports suggesting that large U.S. technology companies, such as Google, may be seeking a degree of influence over the implementation of the EU’s Digital Markets Act. Brantner urged Chancellor Merz to actively prevent this from happening in discussions with Brussels, arguing that allowing such involvement would bolster monopolies, disadvantage European businesses and limit freedoms.
While acknowledging the potential for significant economic repercussions should negotiations with the U.S. fail, Brantner emphasized the importance of maintaining a constructive approach. She cautioned against concessions that would disproportionately benefit U.S. tech giants at the expense of the future competitiveness of German and European businesses.
The EU is currently striving to reach a preliminary agreement in the trade dispute with the United States by Wednesday. Failure to achieve an accord could trigger further tariff increases by U.S. President Donald Trump on imports from the EU.
