Donald Trump has intensified his threats to hit Europe with new rates after the community block has imposed a fine of several billion dollars to Google, writes FT. The European Commission amended Google with 2.95 billion euros on Friday for its searches advertising practices, despite fears inside the block of escalating tensions with the US president. A few hours later, Trump wrote on Social Truth criticizing «very unfair fines and taxes» applied to American technology companies.
«We cannot afford this to happen with American, brilliant and unprecedented ingenuity,» Trump wrote before threatening to trigger a commercial investigation that could lead to tariffs on European goods. The Commission, the main antitrust body of the EU, ordered the American Technology Group to end the so-called «self-preference» of their own services and to introduce measures to limit its dominant position in the advertising technology sector. The fine is one of the largest ever applied Google. In 2018, the company received a fine of 4.12 billion euros because it used its Android operating system to eliminate competition. Google now has 60 days to inform the Commission about how it intends to comply. If he did not, Brussels warned that the deviations invoked could be solved only by forcing the company to sell parts of his business. «At this moment, it seems that the only way Google can effectively end its conflict of interest is through a structural remedy, such as selling part of the Adtech business,» said the head of the EU competition, Teresa Ribera. «This seems necessary and proportional to effectively stop the violations.» The company has announced that it will appeal against the decision. Lee-Anne Mulholland, the global head of Google's regulatory business, called the «unjustified» fine and said that «it requires changes that will affect thousands of European businesses, making them more difficult for them to make a profit.» Google also presented the fine as an example of the disproportionate application of European rules against American companies, similar complaints being expressed by other US technology companies, such as Meta, the Facebook owner. The EU announcement had been initially scheduled for Monday, but was canceled at the last moment by the Maroš ŠEFčovič trade commissioner, according to some informed persons. Brussels and Washington still establish the details of the commercial agreement signed at the end of July. Trump has recently threatened with retaliation rates against countries whose taxes are targeting American technology companies. Trump's new threats come one day after the heads of the big technology companies gathered at a White House, where they praised the president. The possible new taxes emphasize that the turbulence between Washington and its main trading partners will continue, despite the conclusion of several commercial agreements. Maroš Šefčovič refused to comment on confidential procedures on Wednesday, but said he «fully supports» the investigation against Google led by Ribra and that they have been «in regular contact in recent days». On Friday, Ribera said: «We will continue to apply our rules firmly and correctly, without fear or favor, in connection with all the companies operating in Europe.» The Friday's fine refers to an investigation dating back to 2021, when the Commission has expressed concern that Google is making competition on the online advertising market. In 2023, Brussels accused Google of abusing its dominant position in the advertising technology sector, warning that the alleged violations could only be resolved by forcing the American giant to sell some of his business.
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