Biden Administration Pushes Back Against Discriminatory EU Tech Bill

Chamber of Progress thanks the Biden Administration for standing up for U.S. tech workers

Jan 31, 2022

As reported by Politico, a new paper distributed to EU policymakers by the Biden Administration argues that Europe’s Digital Market Act (DMA) unfairly targets America’s tech sector, with unintended consequences. In addition to the discriminatory nature of the DMA, the Administration points to cybersecurity risks and harms to innovation that would result if the proposal were enacted.

“This is what it looks like to stand up for U.S. jobs,” said Chamber of Progress CEO Adam Kovacevich. “President Biden is telling other countries not to single out American companies and workers.”

Over the past year, the Biden Administration has built the case against the EU’s proposed DMA. In November, the Biden Administration circulated a multi-agency white paper raising concerns with the DMA. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo has also highlighted issues with the proposal on multipleoccasions.
According to Politico’s report today, the Biden Administration paper says:

  • “We think it is important that regulatory efforts on either side of the Atlantic do not create unintended adverse consequences, such as inadvertent cybersecurity risks or harms to technological innovation.”
  • “We have also been clear that we oppose efforts specifically designed to target only U.S. companies where similarly situated non-U.S. companies would not be covered.”
  • “The United States is concerned that substantially only U.S companies will be in scope if the Parliament’s proposal to raise the threshold to 8 billion euros in annual turnover and a market capitalization of 80 billion euros is adopted in the final DMA.”
  • “The EP’s proposed scope would exclusively target U.S. companies, not just when the law is implemented, but for years to follow.”

Read Chamber of Progress’s op-ed on the Biden Administration’s approach to countering Europe’s Digital Market’s Act.

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Chamber of Progress (progresschamber.org) is a new center-left tech industry policy coalition promoting technology’s progressive future.  We work to ensure that all Americans benefit from technological leaps, and that the tech industry operates responsibly and fairly.  

Our corporate partners do not have a vote on or veto over our positions. We do not speak for individual partner companies and remain true to our stated principles even when our partners disagree.