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Europe’s top antitrust official has fired a warning shot at the Trump administration, saying the U.S. is using “blackmail” to pressure the EU into watering down its digital rules.
Teresa Ribera, vice-president of the European Commission, spoke out after U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested Washington might ease steel and aluminum tariffs if Europe changed how it regulates big tech companies. EU officials say this is aimed at key rules like the Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act, which keep companies like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon in check and crack down on illegal content online.
Ribera said Europe’s digital laws are about protecting its own citizens and market, not something to trade away in negotiations. “Our rules are not a bargaining chip for the U.S.,” she said.
The U.S. argues these laws unfairly target American tech giants, while the EU insists its rules are meant to create fair competition. Lutnick also hinted that some EU trade ministers might be willing to reconsider the rules, which could give Washington an opening.
This comes as the U.S. ramps up pressure worldwide. South Korea recently scrapped its own proposed tech regulations under U.S. pressure, and Washington is preparing another round of talks and consultations in the coming weeks.
The EU, meanwhile, is carrying on with its own review of digital rules, including a “Digital Justice Audit” and the ongoing review of the DMA. But with U.S. pressure and cracks appearing in Europe’s unity, experts say the big question is whether these landmark tech laws can hold firm.
*With information from Politico
