Davos (Switzerland) (AFP)

The United States relaunched its trade offensive against Europe in Davos on Wednesday, threatening to overtax European cars if the Europeans do not abandon their plans for a digital tax, or do not sign a trade agreement with Washington.

After a first day Tuesday dominated by the theme of the climate, the American president upset Wednesday the agenda of the world economic and political elite gathered in the Swiss Alps to impose one of his favorite themes: the rebalancing of trade relations US.

"It is very very hard to deal with Europe. They have taken advantage of our country for years (...) If we do not achieve something (in terms of trade negotiations), I will take action, and it will be very high taxes on their cars and other products (imported) in our country, "said Donald Trump in an interview with CNBC on Wednesday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum.

The American president, who met European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in Davos on Tuesday to initiate discussions for a bilateral "trade agreement", believes that "it will be very simple."

In a visibly offensive mood, while his impeachment trial in Washington is being held, Donald Trump has also announced a "quick" impromptu press conference in Davos.

"If we want to impose taxes arbitrarily on our digital businesses, then we will consider imposing taxes arbitrarily on automakers," said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

Washington therefore puts in the balance both the threats of tax - especially in France - against the American behemoths of the web, and the conclusion of a larger commercial agreement.

The threats come as the United States signed a preliminary agreement with China last week ending two years of trade war between the two economic powers.

"I wanted to wait until we were done with China. I did not want to deal with China and Europe at the same time. Now China has been done," said Trump. CNBC.

- "Clear horizon"? -

At the heart of the tensions between the United States and Europe, notably the tax imposed by Paris on the activities of the digital sector, strongly criticized by Washington which threatens to overtax the equivalent of 2.4 billion dollars of French products.

Other EU countries have followed suit: Austria and Italy have introduced national taxation, Spain and the United Kingdom are also considering it.

British Finance Minister Sajid Javid told Davos that London intends to "put in place in April" its digital tax, which has been "designed as a temporary tax that will fall when there is an international solution."

French Minister of Finance and Economy Bruno Le Maire told him that "in any event, digital companies will pay a tax in 2020 in France. Either we have an international solution (...) and in this case (...) the international tax will replace the national tax (...) Either there is no agreement, and in this case, the national tax will apply, it has been collected in 2019, it will be collected in 2020. "

After a meeting between French presidents Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump this weekend, France indicated that it plans to "suspend" the collection of this tax this year in order to avoid American sanctions, but also to give itself more time to find a global agreement within the OECD.

Discussions under the aegis of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to find an international agreement, however, look difficult: "The horizon has cleared up (...) but the devil is in the dark. details, "noted Le Maire.

"There is a process at the OECD and we are participating in it," said Steven Mnuchin, without further details. For Paris, the American proposal for "optional" taxation remains unthinkable.

© 2020 AFP