EU Refuses to Soften Tech Rules for Trade Deal with Trump

The European Union will not water down its digital regulations to secure a trade deal with President Donald Trump, a senior European Commission official has said, pushing back against U.S. pressure to ease rules on big tech companies.

Henna Virkkunen, the Commission’s Vice-President in charge of digital policy and tech sovereignty, made clear that the EU is committed to its strict digital rulebook—even if that complicates negotiations with Washington.

“We are very committed to our rules when it comes to the digital world,” Virkkunen said. “We want to make sure that our digital environment in the European Union … that it is fair and it’s safe and it’s also democratic.”

U.S. Complaints over ‘Lawfare’

Virkkunen’s comments come after Trump’s top trade adviser, Peter Navarro, accused the EU of using “lawfare” against American tech giants. Writing in the Financial Times, Navarro listed what he called “non-tariff weapons” that unfairly target U.S. firms like Apple, Facebook, and Google.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has also taken aim at the EU’s digital policies, claiming the bloc is “institutionalising censorship.” Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly criticized the EU for imposing heavy fines and launching antitrust investigations against leading U.S. tech companies.

‘Rules Apply to All’

Virkkunen defended the EU’s approach, stating that the digital regulations are not aimed at any specific country or company. “We are not specially targeting certain companies, but we have this risk-based approach in all our rules,” she said.

She explained that larger firms often face stricter obligations under EU law due to their wider influence and potential to cause harm in the digital market. “When you are a bigger player, then there are more obligations, because you are posing a bigger risk,” she added.

Trade Tensions Persist

Her comments came just after Trump announced a 90-day suspension of some tariffs, but before the EU formally responded with a matching freeze. The two sides remain locked in a tense trade dispute, with the EU still facing 10% tariffs overall—and 25% duties on key exports like cars and metals.

Despite these economic pressures, Brussels is unwilling to bend on its digital standards, which it sees as crucial to preserving fairness, competition, and certain values online.

The Bigger Picture

The EU’s firm stance underscores the broader transatlantic friction over the future of digital governance. While the Trump administration sees EU regulations as a threat to U.S. tech dominance, Europe sees them as essential guardrails in a fast-moving digital world.

With both sides watching each other closely ahead of further negotiations, it’s clear that trade talks will remain bumpy—especially where technology is concerned.