"Do not mix the two topics," reacted Bruno Le Maire. The French Minister of Economy urged Donald Trump not to mix tariffs and digital tax, Saturday, July 27.
The minister wanted to put an end to threats of US retaliation after the adoption two weeks ago by France of a tax on the incomes of the major players in the digital world, dubbed the Gafa tax. Friday, the American president had denounced the "stupidity" of Emmanuel Macron about this tax and had threatened retaliation French wine.
France wants to reach an agreement with the United States by the end of August G7 on the taxation of digital giants, said Bruno Le Maire.
He was scheduled to meet later this afternoon with his US counterpart, Secretary of the Treasury, Steven Mnuchin, to move towards an agreement at the level of OECD countries by the end of 2020.
>> Read: "Digital taxation: G7 finance ministers reach consensus"
"We have always said very clearly that as soon as there is an international decision on digital taxation, we will withdraw our national tax," he said, "an invitation for everyone to speed up work on a universal solution. . "
"This situation is not acceptable"
Bruno Le Maire also stressed that the Gafa tax would not only affect American companies. He recalled that American, European or Chinese multinationals have a digital activity without necessarily a physical presence in a territory, and do not pay or little tax.
"This situation is not acceptable and it is our collective interest to achieve fair taxation of digital activities around the world," he added.
The French digital tax imposes companies up to 3% of revenue generated in France, including targeted online advertising, the sale of data for advertising purposes and the linking of users by the platforms.
With AFP and Reuters