The United States Intends To Impose Tariffs On US $2 Billion 400 Million French Products: France: Unacceptable!

The US government said on 2 local time that it was considering raising the tariff of up to 100% to 2 billion 400 million dollars worth of French exports to the United States. In response, French economic and finance minister Lemerre responded on the 3 day, calling the US move "unacceptable". 3, local time, in response to the US government's proposal to impose tariffs on French products, Lemerre, French Minister of economy and finance, made a strong response in French television media.

French economic and finance minister Lemerre: the problem between the United States and us is clear. "We" refers to the member states of the European Union. Once the United States starts a new round of sanctions, the EU will prepare to fight back.

In July this year, the French Senate approved a regulation on collecting 3% digital service tax for transnational Internet companies. This regulation applies to businesses with annual global revenues of over 750 million euros and annual revenues exceeding 25 million euros in France. Once the regulations come into effect, transnational Internet giants represented by American companies such as Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple will be hit. In response, the office of the United States trade representative launched the "301 survey" on the French digital service tax in that month.

On the 2 th of this month, US trade representative lettse said that the "301 survey" found that the French digital service tax "discriminated" Internet companies in the United States. Taking into account the "damage", leittse suggested that the US government levy the highest tariffs of 100% on champagne, cheese, handbags and other $2 billion 400 million French exports to the United States.

In this regard, French economic and finance minister Lemerre also held a special press conference on 3. He emphasized that the collection of digital service tax by companies in France for all parts of the world is a non discriminatory measure, and it is not aimed at American enterprises alone. Lemerre said that the OECD has put forward a new tax collection method on how to levy digital service tax on Transnational Internet companies. If the member states including the United States can accept it, the French government is willing to withdraw the digital service tax regulations.

Agence France-Presse has previously reported that the French government's digital service tax laws do not make profits for France's finances, but because many transnational Internet giants often choose to pay taxes in some low tax EU Member States, thereby transferring profits gained in France. The New York Times reported that foreign countries, including the United Kingdom, Italy and Canada, also expressed concern about this phenomenon.