Minister: France Aims for US Digital Tax Deal by Late August
France wants to reach a deal with the U.S. on taxing tech giants by a Group of 7 meeting in late August, Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said Saturday. He was responding to U.S. President Donald Trump, who on Friday vowed “substantial” retaliation against France for a law passed this month on taxing digital companies even if their headquarters are elsewhere. The law would affect U.S.-based global giants like Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon, among others. Trump denounced French President Emmanuel Macron’s “foolishness,” though they discussed the issue by phone Friday, according to the White House. Macron confirmed that he had a long conversation with Trump, stressing the pair would “continue to work together in view of the G-7.” “We will discuss international taxation, trade and collective security,” he said Saturday. FILE – French President Emmanuel Macron speaks with US President Donald Trump at the G-20 Summit in Osaka, June 28, 2019. On Friday, Trump Macron of “foolishness” over a move to tax global tech giants, promising substantial retaliation. US companies not the target His office earlier said Macron had told Trump that the tax on the tech giants was not just in France’s interest but was something they both …