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The French economy minister, Bruno Le Maire , warned the United States on Monday that any reprisals to its new tas on the income of digital services from technology companies, such as Google or Facebook, will mean "deep and lasting" damage in their relationships.

Washington has threatened to impose tariffs of up to 100% for French imports such as champagne or bags worth 2.4 billion dollars , after an investigation by the US government found that the French 'Google rate' could harm its technology companies.

"If the Americans decide to go ahead and impose sanctions against the digital rate ... in that case we will retaliate," Le Maire said for France Inter radio.

"If there are sanctions, and it is possible that there are, we will immediately contact the World Trade Organization," he added.

Le Maire said he had sent a letter on the matter to the American trade negotiator Robert Lightizer and that he would also discuss it by telephone with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin .

"If the United States decided to impose trade sanctions against the EU for the French tax on digital services, it would profoundly and lastingly affect the transatlantic relationship at a time when we must be united," the minister wrote in the letter to which Reuters had access.

In the letter, La Maire also stated that France is "in contact with the European Commission and other EU member states to address the issue" and that they were "contemplating the various options to defend our commercial rights in a proportionate and determined manner, such as we have done it in the past. "

Paris has complained for a long time that the US digital companies do not pay enough taxes for their income in France.

In July, the government decided to apply a 3% tax on revenues from digital services obtained in France by companies with more than 25 million euros ($ 28 million) in French revenues and 750 million euros worldwide.

The European Union has indicated that it will support France in the dispute with the United States.

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  • U.S
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  • European Comission

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