The European Parliament’s Internal Market Committee (IMCO) on a visit to the US to engage with policymakers and stakeholders stated that the US government’s opposition to EU laws does not reflect the views of the majority but rather aligns with those of powerful tech giants in Silicon Valley.
ADVERTISEMENTThe MEPs’ visit, from 24 to 28 February, comes amid significant criticism from the Republican administration of former President Donald Trump for regulating tech industries. Vice President JD Vance argued in Paris at the AI Action Summit that the US would resist the EU’s attempts to limit US companies.
“Our European laws result from a democratic process. There’s a consensus among us that we can’t give in to the demands of American ‘Big Tech’ oligopolies,” says Anna Cavazzini (Germany/Greens/EFA), IMCO chair, in a statement.
The EU has seen “aggressive” positions from the US, but only representing “large tech giants” and not the majority of stakeholders, Cavazzini adds.
Smaller US businesses, however, appreciate the Digital Markets Act, saying it favours all market actors and encourages innovation, according to Cavazzini.
The EU must enforce tech laws created by its own democratic institutions, warns Agustin Reyna, Director General of BEUC, a European consumer group.
Meetings with members of US Congress, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, State Department, Federal Trade Commission, and think tanks were deemed productive by the IMCO delegation.
The IMCO team included Andreas Schwab (Germany/EPP), Pablo Arias Echeverría (Spain/EPP), Christel Schaldemose (Denmark, S&D), Klára Dostálová (Czechia/PfE), Piotr Müller (Poland/ECR), and Sandro Gozi (France/Renew).
