The European Union (EU) may respond to tariffs imposed by United States President Donald Trump by limiting how American tech firms handle data, according to France’s Finance Minister Eric Lombard. In an interview with Journal du Dimanche (JDD), Lombard spoke about measures to respond to Trump’s 20% tariffs on EU goods.
We have several tools at our disposal at the European level: regulatory, fiscal, customs,” Lombard told the newspaper. “For example, we can strengthen certain environmental requirements or regulate the use of data by certain digital players,” he said. Trump announced the tariffs on April 2, aiming to shake up the global trading system. In response, the EU—America’s largest trading partner—warned it would retaliate with its countermeasures, including possible taxes on certain US services and targeting American tech firms.
Lombard mentioned that the European Union response could have consequences for both European and American businesses, but noted that Brussels has no plans to punish all imports. “It is not a question of taxing all American imports, that would be counterproductive, penalizing our economy as much as theirs,” he said. EU rules already regulate data usage through mechanisms like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and Lombard did not elaborate on how any new rules might look. Still, he underlined that all fiscal and regulatory avenues remain under discussion.
Elon Musk wants the US and EU to consider a zero-tariff agreement
Meanwhile, Tesla billionaire CEO Elon Musk has urged the US and EU to consider a zero-tariff agreement. In a Saturday via video link to Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini at a League party event in Florence, Musk said, “Both Europe and the United States should move, ideally, in my view, to a zero-tariff situation, effectively creating a free-trade zone between Europe and North America.”
His remarks come after global markets started reacting to Trump‘s trade measures. Musk, who has served as a key adviser to the president since January and was a major donor during the campaign, voiced a contrasting stance. He suggested a deeper partnership between the US and Europe, plus greater mobility for workers. “That’s certainly been my advice to the president,” he said, without clarifying whether the guidance focused on tariffs, freedom of movement, or both.
Lombard mentioned that the EU is considering fiscal, customs, and regulatory measures if the US refuses to withdraw the tariffs. He also expressed optimism about solving through dialogue, but noted that a fair deal based on trust could head off a larger trade conflict.