Regarding the mutual tariffs imposed by the United States, French Minister of Finance Éric Lombard noted that the European Union's (EU) response measures to the tariffs may include regulations on data usage by American big tech corporations.
On the 5th (local time), according to Bloomberg News, Minister Lombard revealed this during an interview with the French weekly Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD). He said, “We can use various means such as regulation, finance, and tariff at the European level,” adding, “For example, we can strengthen specific requirements or regulate data usage by certain digital players.” He also noted, “All options are on the table.”
However, he did not mention specific methods for strengthening regulations on data usage by American big tech corporations. Data collection and processing are already regulated under the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and others.
Minister Lombard said, “Imposing tariffs on all American imports is unproductive and harms our economy as much as it does the U.S. economy,” and he stated, “Therefore, we will target specific institutional sectors in a precise manner.”
President Donald Trump announced on the 2nd that he would impose a 20% mutual tariff on the EU, which is the largest trading partner of the United States. In response, the European Commission plans to submit a retaliatory tariff package, imposing tariffs of up to 50% on American products valued at 26 billion euros (approximately 42 trillion won), to the member states for voting on the 9th, to be implemented from the 15th.