The president of the United States, Donald Trumphas signed an executive order that threatens impose tariffs to foreign governments that apply digital rates To American companies, among them Space, United Kingdom y France. The order indicates that “foreign governments have exercised increasing extraterritorial authority over US companies, particularly in the technology sector”, and directly quotes taxes on digital services that apply “several commercial partners” since 2019.
According to the text, the Trump administration will impose tariffs on those governments that use taxes or regulations “discriminatory, disproportionate or designed to transfer significant funds or intellectual property of US companies to that government or their chosen domestic entities”.
Trump delegates to the US commercial representative the possibility of “renewing investigations” on calls Technological rates of Spain, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Austria and Türkiyewhich emphasizes that they were imposed in their first mandate, and if so, “take all appropriate actions.” “US companies will not support Falled foreign economies Through fines and extortion taxes“, indicates the document of the White House, which provides for a” process “so that these” report “those” disproportionate “measures before the commercial representative.
Likewise, he is commissioned to investigate together with the Secretaries of Treasury and Commerce whether in the EU or the United Kingdom it is “required or encouraged” the use of US products or services for US companies for “undermine freedom of expression“, the political activity or, otherwise, moderate content.” also suggests the representative, among other things, to celebrate “a panel” with its partners of the T-MEC (Canada and Mexico) about the Canada Digital Services Taxand identify ways to achieve a “permanent moratorium in customs rights of electronic transmissions.”
The order does not mention any specific company, but mainly affects large technological ones as Apple, Google (Subsidiary of Alphabet), Meta y Amazonwhich have precisely starred in a sound approach to President Trump since he won the elections in November. In his first term (2017-2021), Trump ordered to investigate digital rates to his companies abroad and threatened to apply tariffs to the six countries indicated today; taxes were imposed on the government of his successor, the Democrat Joe Biden, and subsequently suspended
Restrictions to Cuba, Venezuela and China
The American president has also signed another executive order that restricts access to technology and foreign spending on energy and other strategic sectors of the United States. “Investment at any cost is not always of national interest. Some foreign adversaries, including the Popular Republic China (RPC), systematically direct and facilitate investment in companies and assets in the United States to obtain avant -garde technologies, intellectual property and leverage in strategic industries, “says the memorandum.
The tycoon has used the term “foreign adversaries” China–, Cuba, Iran, Russia“The regime of Nicolás Maduro“And the administrative regions of Macao y Hong Kong. However, the text has not entered into detail about the decisions Trump will make in this regard. Although Friday’s action has pointed out to these “adversaries”, it also seeks to encourage the investment of commercial allies through a new “fast -via” process to expedite projects, according to the Bloomberg agency, which has affirmed that States United will accelerate environmental reviews for any investment exceeding 1,000 million dollars.
Trump ordered at the beginning of February the imposition of a 10% tariff on all imports from China, to which Beijing responded by setting 15% tariffs on coal and liquefied gas and 10% on oil, agricultural machinery , great displacement cars and trucks.
