US threatens 'countermeasures' as EU fines US tech giants including Google

US threatens 'countermeasures' as EU fines US tech giants including Google

BEIJING, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) – The United States threatened retaliatory measures on Friday after the European Union imposed hefty fines on U.S. companies including Google and social media platform X.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) stated it would take "countermeasures" against European service providers if the EU and its member states continue what it described as "discriminatory" actions against U.S. service suppliers.

In a social media post, the USTR accused the EU and certain member states of persistently using "discriminatory and harassing" litigation, tax measures, and fines to restrict American service suppliers. The office cited companies including Accenture, DHL, and Siemens – nine European firms with significant operations in the U.S. – hinting they could become targets for countermeasures.

A man walks past the European Union headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, May 23, 2025. (Xinhua/Dingzhe Zhao)

In response, European Commission spokesperson Thomas Renier issued a statement defending the bloc's regulatory framework on Friday. He stressed that EU regulations aim to ensure a "safe, fair, and level playing field in line with the expectations of EU citizens," emphasizing there is no discrimination in enforcement.

Throughout this year, the EU has initiated multiple enforcement actions against U.S. technology companies under the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Market Act (DMA). On December 5, the European Commission made its first "non-compliance ruling" under the DSA, fining social media platform X, owned by U.S. billionaire Elon Musk, 120 million euros. In September, the EU fined Google 2.95 billion euros (approximately 3.19 billion U.S. dollars) for anti-competitive practices in its advertising technology business.

U.S. President Donald Trump returns to the White House in Washington, D.C., May 25, by helicopter. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

The U.S. has previously accused the EU of enforcing regulations unfairly against its tech companies and used steel and aluminum tariffs as leverage to seek concessions. The EU, in turn, condemned the U.S. stance as "extortion," maintaining that its digital regulations are matters of sovereign jurisdiction and not open to challenge. (Reporter: Yanan Liu)

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