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EU digital market plans to rile US internet firms

Monday, May 11, 2015

Significance

The Commission aims to stimulate an economic field where the EU lags the United States. It estimates that a completed digital single market would boost EU GDP by around 3%. However, the project potentially challenges both national and sectoral preferences inside the EU, and the positions of major US internet firms.

Impacts

  • The Commission's plans are seen in the industry as deliberately undermining the business models of major US-based internet firms.
  • Alongside separate EU actions on tax, anti-trust and data protection, they will aggravate a sensitive issue in EU-US economic diplomacy.
  • This could damage the ongoing negotiations on the EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

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