Trump criticises EU for fines against Apple, Google and Facebook

Trump accused the EU of imposing heavy fines on US tech giants, calling it a "form of taxation" at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

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Trump said that the EU has won $15 or $16 billion from Apple, billions from Google and, in his opinion, is also trying to get billions from Facebook. He emphasised that these are American companies, and regardless of whether one likes them, they should not do this. According to him, this is a form of taxation, and therefore the US has serious claims against the EU.

This refers to the long-running legal battle over Apple's tax treaty with Ireland, which was recently concluded with an EU ruling that the agreement was declared illegal and the company must pay significant taxes.

Trump also criticised the EU's economic policy in general, saying that the EU treats the US very unfairly and badly. He added that the US has hundreds of billions of dollars in deficits with the EU, and no one is happy about it, so the US plans to do something about it.

These statements, made only at the beginning of his presidency, suggest that Apple's relationship with the EU may become more complicated. It will be interesting to see how Trump's second term may affect the fate of Apple and other US tech companies that have faced EU scrutiny, not only on financial matters but also on hot-button issues such as App Store policy.

During Trump's first term, Apple managed to avoid duties on iPhones, iPads, and Macs, although the company still had to pay duties on Apple Watch, AirPods, and HomePods. In 2019, Trump acknowledged that Cook had made a "convincing case" for his position that tariffs could create a disadvantage for Apple.

Source: The Hill