In a blow to U.S. tech giants such as Apple (AAPL) and Meta Platforms (META), the European Commission has denied claims from President Trump that digital regulations are part of ongoing trade talks.
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Rules Not on the Table
European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said today that its Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act – both aimed at reining in the power of Big Tech from the U.S. – are “not on the table in the trade negotiations with the U.S.”
“The legislations will not be changed,” he said.
This is despite comments from President Trump late last week that the EU enforcement of its big tech laws was being negotiated and that the EU could make concessions in order to avoid certain U.S. tariffs.
This came as he suspended talks with Canada over the tax on U.S. tech firms. He said that Canada was “obviously copying the European Union, which has done the same thing, and is currently under discussion with us.”
Financial Hits
That EU tech rules will continue to be enforced will not be welcomed by the U.S. tech giants. That’s because they have suffered some severe financial blows from the EU over recent months largely on concerns over anti-competitive practices.
Apple, for example, was fined $500 million back in April stemming from its restrictions, which prevented app developers from directing users to cheaper deals outside the App Store.
Tech rival Meta Platforms (META) was also fined €200 million back in April for its “pay and consent” advertising model.
Under this model, EU users of Facebook and Instagram had a choice between consenting to personal data combination for personalised advertising or paying a monthly subscription for an ad-free service.
The Commission found that this model is not compliant with the DMA, as it did not give users the required specific choice to opt for a service that uses less of their personal data.
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