The Dutch government has called the announced US countermeasures against European tech companies "unjustified." In a letter to the House of Representatives, the ministers of Economic Affairs and Foreign Affairs emphasize that there is no discrimination against American companies.
The reason for the parliamentary questions was a post on social media platform X by the United States Trade Representative (USTR). This post threatened retaliatory measures due to the alleged unequal treatment of American tech giants in Europe by new digital legislation.
The cabinet firmly rejects the criticism from Washington. According to the ministers, European digital legislation applies to all companies operating in the EU, regardless of where their headquarters are located. "There is therefore no question of unequal treatment of American companies," according to the ministers. Any countermeasures targeting European tech companies are therefore considered unfounded.
Although the American concerns are well known, according to the cabinet, no formal threat has been made to the European Commission or the member states so far; communication has been limited to public statements on X.
Despite pressure from the United States, the cabinet has no intention of relaxing the rules. The Netherlands continues to insist on strict compliance with and enforcement of the rules for large online platforms, as laid down in the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
Relations between the EU and the US in the digital sphere appear to be under further strain. In its letter, the cabinet also refers to an incident on December 24, 2025, in which the US imposed visa restrictions on five Europeans, including former European Commissioner Thierry Breton, on charges of censorship. The European Commission and individual European leaders have since strongly condemned this action.
The cabinet has indicated that it will continue to closely monitor the interests of Dutch and European tech companies and will defend them in Brussels.
