The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) deplores the US threat of trade retaliation against Europe for its digital services legislation. This legislation, including the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act, safeguards consumers and ensures the openness and contestability of digital markets (Report, FT.com, February 22).
It is extremely worrying to see how the US, by threatening such trade retaliation, has caved in to lobbying by Big Tech companies.
Decisions rest with the EU, not the US, on how companies, regardless of their nationality, should behave to safeguard the EU’s 450mn consumers. The EU is founded on the rule of law and that must be respected, even by the current US administration.
The EU must therefore stand firm and enforce laws adopted by its sovereign and democratic institutions.
Agustín Reyna
Director-General, BEUC, Brussels, Belgium
