The EU can’t have it both ways: relying on American technological leadership while building an entire policy framework around curbing it.
In his op-ed, “The European Union’s Economic Double Standard with America Must End,” The National Review, Joe Grogan calls out the European Union for exploiting its relationship with the United States, benefiting from American innovation while building regulatory frameworks to suppress it.
In his op-ed, Joe argues:
The European Union has spent years exploiting its trade relationship with the United States while ignoring the obligations that should come with it. President Trump has rightly made clear that this era of U.S. indulgence is over.
So far, the EU seems unwilling to give up its present arrangement. Despite months of negotiations, European leaders have refused to offer meaningful concessions, especially on their campaign of digital protectionism aimed at American firms. In response, Trump recommended a straight 50 percent tariff on the European Union. After the European Commission asked for more time, the Trump administration agreed on May 25 to delay enforcement until July 9. But if Europe won’t change course, the U.S. is prepared to take necessary measures to rebalance the relationship.
This standoff exposes an uncomfortable truth: We’ve long expected unfair and predatory trade practices from adversaries like China, but we’ve been slower to recognize similar behavior from Europe. That has to change.
Read the full version of Joe’s op-ed at the National Review.