EU Stands Firm Against U.S. Pressure over Digital Laws

The European Commission has firmly stated that its cornerstone digital regulations—the Digital Services Act (DSA), Digital Markets Act (DMA), and the AI Act—are not subject to negotiation with the United States. Henna Virkkunen, the Commission’s technology chief, emphasized that these rules are grounded in European values and are essential to ensuring trustworthy technologies within the EU. This stance was reinforced ahead of scheduled talks between EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, where digital competition and regulatory alignment are expected to be discussed.

Recent months have seen increased pushback from the U.S. administration and American tech executives, who argue that the DSA could result in censorship of Americans and that the DMA unfairly targets U.S. companies. Additionally, there have been calls from Washington to pause the EU’s AI Act, a suggestion that has found some support among European officials and local tech leaders. Despite this, the Commission remains unwavering in its commitment to implementing these regulations.

Virkkunen clarified that the EU’s enforcement actions, including fines and investigations, should not be construed as tariffs or punitive measures. Instead, these penalties are designed to ensure compliance with EU law. The Commission is not seeking fines for their own sake but is focused on upholding the integrity of the digital regulatory framework.

The Commission is continuing its active investigations under the DSA, with several cases expected to conclude in the coming weeks and months. Among the most prominent is the probe into Elon Musk’s X platform, which was preliminarily found in breach of content moderation, advertising transparency, and data access requirements. Virkkunen stressed that enforcement decisions are based strictly on evidence and the law, not on the identity or political standing of platform owners.