The country with the largest economy in Europe wants to impose a 10% fee for online platforms like Facebook and Google: “These corporations make billions in Germany, but they pay almost nothing”

The government of Germany, the country with the largest economy in Europe, analyzes the imposition of 10% for the big online platforms such as Google and Facebook, said the new Minister of Berlin, accusing the American Tech giants behind these platforms of not offering anything back to the countries that win billions of dollars, reports Reuters.

The proposal comes in the context in which Chancellor Friedrich Merz is expected to travel to Washington soon to meet US President Donald Trump, although the visit date has not yet been announced. Trump has previously stated that he will not allow foreign governments to “acquire his tax base for his own benefit.”

The German Minister of Culture, Wolfram Weimer, said in an interview with Stern's magazine that his ministry is elaborating a legislative proposal and, in parallel, seeks to open a dialogue with platform operators, which he accused of “skillful tax evasion”.

“These corporations do billions business in Germany, with extremely high profit margins, and benefit from the media and cultural product of the country, as well as its infrastructure – but they pay almost nothing in taxes, they invest too little and they offer back to the company,” he said.

Agreement in Germany for the taxation of digital services

Weimer also said that the government is trying to bring corporations like Alphabet (Google parent) and Meta (which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp) to the discussion table to explore alternative solutions such as voluntary contributions.

The ruling parties in Germany agreed, through a coalition agreement signed earlier this year, to impose such a tax on digital services.

If the Government goes further with the application of a sales tax generated by digital service providers, Germany would join other countries that have implemented similar measures, such as the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Turkey, India, Austria and Canada.

Trump has reopened investigations against countries charging American Tech companies

During Trump's first term, US trade representative launched an investigation under section 301 on incorrect commercial practices against several of these countries, concluding that they discriminate American companies, which has opened the way for applying repressive customs on certain imports.

In February, Trump ordered his chief on trade to resume investigations in order to impose taxes on imports from countries charging American technology companies for digital services.

However, this does not seem to have discouraged the new German government, which officially took over this month.

Weimer has accused the big digital platforms of building “monopoly structures” which not only restrict competition, but also focus too much media power, representing a risk for freedom of expression.

“If Google, under Donald Trump's pressure, unilaterally renames Mexico in the Gulf of America – and does this simply because of its huge power to model the meaning in global communication – then we can see what kind of problems they are hiding in the current structures,” he stressed.