Trump Says 'Not Happy' That EU Imposes Digital Tax On US Companies

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th October, 2019) US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he is dissatisfied that the European Union has imposed a digital tax on US companies.

"I am not happy with the digital tax when the European Union is taxing our companies," Trump said during the joint press conference with Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the White House.

Earlier on Wednesday, Italy approved the new tax on as part of its 2020 draft budget.

The measure requires that tech giants - including Google, Facebook and Amazon - pay a 3 percent duty on internet transactions.

France introduced the similar tax earlier this year, but after engaging in negotiations with the United States it agreed to repay companies the difference between its tax and a planned mechanism proposed by the OECD.

Trump reminded that he discussed this issue with Paris, and the United States imposed tariffs on French wine in response.

"I am not a fan of those companies, they were against me," Trump said. "But these are American companies and if anybody going to tax [them], it should be the USA."

Mattarella said the he did not talk with Trump about the digital tax, adding "this is an open issue."

The Trump administration has repeatedly said the digital tax is unfair to US companies.