City
Epaper

France hopes to reach digital tax deal with G7 nations by August end

By IANS | Updated: July 28, 2019 07:25 IST

France hopes leaders of G7 would bridge differences and forge a common front on a universal tax of digital activities during an upcoming summit at the end of August in the French coastal resort of Biarritz, said Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire.

Open in App

"We hope between now and the end of August the G7 heads of state meeting in Biarritz will reach an agreement," Xinhua quoted Le Maire as saying to reporters on Saturday.

"The challenge that we have to overcome is the digital economy which is not taxed at the same level as the other economic activities," he said.

Speaking in a brief press conference, Le Maire justified the need to tax internet giants, telling his partners that "it is in our collective interest to achieve a fair taxation of digital activities in the world".

His remarks came after US President Donald Trump denounced, in a Twitter message on Friday, an unfair tax which he said targets only American companies.

President Trump also menaced to take shortly "a substantial reciprocal action" and tax French wines in retaliation for what he considered French President Emmanuel Macron's "foolishness."

Amid growing risks of a trade spat between Washington and Paris that may put to test the relation between the two erstwhile allies, Le Maire told Trump that "there is no desire to specifically target American companies."

The French Digital Services Tax proposed a 3-per cent tax on technology companies that provide certain digital services to French users with total annual revenues of at least 750 million euros (USD 834.73 million) globally and 25 million euros in France.

Despite a setback in Brussels to reach a European Union-wide taxation, the French government decided to impose the tax at the national level. It hopes to collect 400 million euros this year and 650 million euros by 2022.

In a further step to implement tax on internet giants, with which it wants to build fairer and more sustainable capitalism, France won parliament approval on July 11, defying Washington's threat to launch a probe that could lead to higher tariffs on French imports if the two sides fail to reach a settlement.

Targeting broader support for a digital taxation, the eurozone's second largest power would lift the GAFA tax which refers to Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple, if there was an accord on a universal digital tax including all of the OECD countries by the end of 2020.

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: Donald TrumpMairefrancewashingtonus
Open in App

Related Stories

InternationalGoogle Alerts US Visa-Holding Employees About Overseas Travel Risks Amid Embassy Delays: Report

InternationalNorth Carolina Plane Crash: Retired NASCAR Driver Greg Biffle and Family Among Seven Killed in Statesville Jet Crash

International'Warrior Dividend': Donald Trump Announces $1,776 Christmas Bonus to Active US Soldiers

BusinessUS Stock Exchange Nasdaq Moves Toward 24-Hour Trading, How Will Impact on Indian Share Market

InternationalDonald Trump Slams Bondi Beach Anti-Semitic Terrorist Attack at Hanukkah Reception in White House

कारोबार Realted Stories

BusinessNasscom flags concerns over new US rules for H-1B visas

BusinessCarrying over 1 million customers every 3 days, fully prepared for holiday season: IndiGo Airlines

BusinessTN sanctions Rs 289.63 crore relief for crop losses caused by unseasonal rains

BusinessHM Amit Shah, CM Mohan Yadav to inaugurate natural farming project in Rewa

BusinessGujarat to showcase rooftop solar success stories at VGRC Kutch-Saurashtra