US pushes to change EU’s digital gatekeeper rules

Washington officials worry that the Digital Markets Act could target American firms.

 By Samuel Stolton
January 31, 2022 1:16 pm

The United States is pressing the EU to revise rules targeting digital giants to make them focus less on American companies and ensure they will also cover tech firms from outside the U.S., according to a new paper distributed to Brussels officials and seen by POLITICO.

The move, which aims to change the so-called Digital Markets Act, highlights Washington's concern about plans to rein in the biggest tech companies as the U.S. government is targeting Brussels officials in the midst of ongoing talks in the Transatlantic Trade and Technology Council, a high-level transatlantic discussion group. In addition to the scope of the plans, the Biden administration also cites security concerns regarding Brussels' efforts.

"We think it is important that regulatory efforts on either side of the Atlantic do not create unintended adverse consequences, such as inadvertent cybersecurity risks or harms to technological innovation," the paper states. "We have also been clear that we oppose efforts specifically designed to target only U.S. companies where similarly situated non-U.S. companies would not be covered."

Late last week Washington circulated the eight-point policy document to "select" MEPs and member countries, in the middle of key negotiations between EU institutions on the bloc’s draft gatekeeper rules.

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Continua qui: https://www.politico.eu/article/us-government-in-bid-to-change-eu-digital-markets-act/