Ambassador Greer Issues Statement on the European Union Creating Uncertainty in our Transatlantic Trade Relationship

WASHINGTON — Today, Ambassador Greer issued a statement regarding the European Union's recent actions that create uncertainty in the Turnberry Agreement.

"Today, the European Commission announced that it will fine Google nearly $1 billion, the latest in an increasingly aggressive approach targeting U.S. technology firms. This is in addition to two recent actions by the Commission under the Digital Markets Act that target Google’s Android operating system and Search services that pose serious risks for the privacy and security of users, represent a de facto forced technology transfer and intellectual property theft, and impose unreasonable financial penalties. The EU’s various fines of Google alone add up to over 2 percent of the EU’s budget—a larger 'contribution' to the budget than many EU member states. Add in the recent announcement of the largest ever state-backed loan to Airbus, and it becomes clear that the EU continues to target the most competitive U.S. companies," said Ambassador Greer. "The EU often claims that it is looking for stability and predictability in our trading relationship, but these actions are driving massive uncertainty for U.S. exports of goods and services to Europe. We are trying to resolve our concerns with the EU’s Digital Markets Act and other actions through responsible, constructive dialogue. But a real dialogue can only take place during a ceasefire. The EU’s recent actions undermine these efforts and pose a real risk to the continuation of transatlantic stability with respect to trade."

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