The US announcement to impose tariffs on the EU is bad news – bad for business, bad for consumers. We’ve known this, yet here we are. For years, open markets and free trade underpinned stability and prosperity. The US is our ally but the EU must respond forcefully. This time, targeting jeans and bourbon won’t do. ❗️
Digital services will inevitably come into focus. The EU runs a €109 billion trade deficit with the US in services. When the US acts like this, it’s only fair that this sector is on the table. But there’s a deeper issue: Europe’s overdependence on US big tech. If we don’t create the conditions for European alternatives to grow and scale, we’ll remain stuck in this position. We never should have let this happen. But how do we fix it?
👉 The “Brussels Effect” should be about enabling European champions. Sovereignty as an artificial regulatory creation won’t work. It is no secret I’ve never supported the EU’s wave of digital regulation over the past decade. Not because I’m defending Big Tech or against fairness, but because I care about European companies and innovation. These rules, often aimed at Big Tech, tend to miss their mark in shooting for the stars and end up stifling our own innovators instead.
👉 European companies face limited data access, fragmented markets, insufficient risk capital, and a lack of talent – the cherry on top is a heavy regulatory burden. Meanwhile, US firms thrive at home and globally.
One important note: When there is a law in the EU, there is a law in the EU. The DMA, DSA, and AI Act are now part of our legal framework. They must be enforced well. But when reviews come – like with the GDPR – we need to be brave and bold. We must consider the unintended effects these laws have on European companies, including pioneers like Booking.com, whose growth is being threatened just when we need competitiveness most.
👉 Bottom line: In Europe, laws apply equally to all. But when we tighten regulations indiscriminately, we shoot ourselves in the foot. For the sake of Europe’s high-tech sector, let’s create space for risk-taking, growth, and global ambition – not kill it before it starts.
To the Commission: No more new digital regulation. Clarify what we have first, enforce it smartly, and stop blocking European alternatives.
