Reference News Network, November 30 - According to the website of the U.S. "Politico" on November 27, European antitrust chief Teresa Ribera strongly criticized the Trump administration, accusing Washington of using "extortion" to force the EU to weaken its technical regulation manual.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in Brussels on the 24th that if the EU reconsiders its digital regulations, the United States might revise its approach to steel and aluminum tariffs. European officials interpreted his remarks as targeting the EU's main technology regulations, including the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

The Spanish EU commissioner said in an interview with Politico on the 26th: "This is extortion. It doesn't mean we accept this extortion."

As Executive Vice President of the European Commission, Ribera ranks second to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. She said that the EU's digital rules manual should be unrelated to trade negotiations. The team of former U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking to completely revise the trade framework agreement reached with von der Leyen in July this year.

This intervention comes at a sensitive period in ongoing trade negotiations. Washington considers the DMA discriminatory because the large technology platforms it regulates, such as Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, are almost all American. It also opposes the Digital Services Act, which seeks to curb illegal online speech, arguing that the law aims to restrict social media like Elon Musk's X platform.

Ribera said these rules are a matter of sovereignty and should not be included in the scope of trade negotiations.

She said, "We respect rules, no matter what they are. They have rules for various markets: digital market, health industry, steel industry or automotive sector. That is their problem. That is their regulation and sovereignty. So it is the same here."

Ribera, along with the EU's top technology official, Hanna Viikko, is responsible for the DMA, a regulation that governs the behavior of large digital platforms and strives to maintain fair competition.

She made a strong comment on Lutnick's statements after his meeting with EU officials and ministers on the 24th, saying, "Europe's digital rulebook is not up for negotiation."

Viikko also expressed the same view on the 25th. On the 24th, she submitted a package of simplified proposals to her U.S. counterparts, including a digital comprehensive plan. This package, known as the EU's effort to reduce bureaucracy, has been interpreted by some as aimed at eliminating concerns of large U.S. technology companies regarding regulation.

When asked why she took such a firm stance, Ribera replied that Lutnick's comments were a "direct attack on the DMA." She also said, "I have a responsibility to defend a well-functioning digital market in Europe."

Despite Ribera's uncompromising response, solidarity among EU member states on the DMA issue began to show subtle cracks. At least one European official seemed to agree with this view. German Economy and Energy Minister Katharina Reiche said she supports further relaxing the EU's digital regulations. (Translated by Liu Xiaoyan)

Executive Vice President of the European Commission Teresa Ribera (AFP)

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7578461373111026176/

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