Latest news with #digitalserviceslevy
Reuters
2 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
German digital ministry treads cautiously over online platform levy
BERLIN, May 30 (Reuters) - Germany's new digital ministry said any levy on online platforms would have to be internationally coordinated and not result in higher prices for end consumers, in a sign on Friday of possible divisions within government over plans for such a tax. The Minister of State for Culture Wolfram Weimer had said in an interview published on Thursday that officials were working on a levy which would hit platforms such as Alphabet's Google (GOOGL.O), opens new tab and Meta's Facebook (META.O), opens new tab. A levy of 10% would be reasonable, he said - without specifying if this were a tax on revenue or profit. Germany's ruling parties agreed earlier this year to consider the introduction of a digital services levy, but this was not on the list of projects the coalition wants to prioritise. Weimer's proposal had not yet been agreed upon by the government, officials had said. "The decisive factors in evaluating such a levy are that it is designed in a targeted manner, is internationally coordinated and compatible with EU law, that any potential revenue benefits Germany as a hub for innovation, and that ultimately no higher prices are passed on to end consumers," a spokesperson for the digital ministry said. The proposal comes as Chancellor Friedrich Merz is expected to travel to Washington soon to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, although a trip has not yet been officially announced. Trump has in the past said he will not allow foreign governments to "appropriate America's tax base for their own benefit". Industry association Bitkom warned that the levy could lead to price increases that would impact businesses, public administrations, and consumers. "These price increases will hinder and slow down the urgently needed acceleration of the digitalization of public services and the digital transformation of companies," said Bitkom President Ralf Wintergerst. "What we need is not more, but fewer financial burdens on digital goods and services."
Khaleej Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Germany seeks to levy 10% tax on online platforms like Google
Germany is considering a 10% tax on large online platforms like Alphabet's Google and Meta's Facebook, its new culture minister told magazine Stern, in a move likely to heighten trade tensions with the Trump administration. The proposal comes as Chancellor Friedrich Merz is expected to travel to Washington soon to meet with US President Donald Trump, although a trip has not yet been officially announced. Trump has in the past said he will not allow foreign governments to "appropriate America's tax base for their own benefit". Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer said his ministry was drafting a legislative proposal while also seeking talks with platform operators that he accused of "cunning tax evasion" to explore alternative solutions like voluntary contributions. "These corporations do billions in business in Germany with extremely high profit margins and benefit enormously from the country's media and cultural output as well as its infrastructure — but they pay hardly any taxes, invest too little, and give far too little back to society," he told Stern in an interview published on Thursday. Alphabet and Meta did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. Germany's ruling parties agreed in a coalition deal earlier this year to impose such a digital services levy. If the government goes ahead with the tax on sales revenue generated by digital services providers within its borders, it would join a raft of other countries to have done so such as Britain, France, Italy, Spain, Turkey, India, Austria and Canada. During Trump's first term, the US Trade Representative's office launched a Section 301 investigation into unfair trade practices against several of these countries, finding they discriminated against US companies, paving the way for retaliatory tariffs on certain imports. In February, Trump ordered his trade chief to revive investigations aimed at imposing tariffs on imports from countries that levy digital service taxes on US technology companies. That does not, however, appear to have deterred the new German government, which took office earlier this month. Weimer accused the big digital platforms of building up "monopoly-like structures" that not only restrict competition but also concentrate media power too heavily", posing a risk for freedom of expression. "If Google, under pressure from Donald Trump, unilaterally renames the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America— and simply decrees this due to its enormous power to shape meaning in global communication — then we can see the kinds of problems that lie within the current structures," he said.
