French President Emmanuel Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron said he still hopes to persuade Germany to back a European Union-wide digital turnover tax, despite Berlin's preference for a global minimum corporate tax to stop firms shopping around for tax havens.
"I hope that we can agree on the digital tax with the Germans by December," Macron told Germany's Zeit news weekly on the sidelines of a speaking engagement on Wednesday. "I'm not going to give up."
An EU plan to tax big internet firms like Google and Facebook on their turnover is on the verge of collapsing after several members rejected it and announced national initiatives instead.
Germany is not expecting much change in U.S. President Donald Trump’s foreign policy after the midterm elections, the foreign minister said on Wednesday.“It would be a mistake to expect a course correction from Donald Trump,” Heiko Maas said on Twitter, but also added that Berlin would like to continue dialogue with Washington to recalibrate transatlantic relationship.“The U.S. remains our most important partner outside Europe. In order to maintain this partnership, we have to readjust and align our relations,” he stressed.EU’s heavyweight Germany and Trump administration have been at odds over many key issues, including trade, climate, Iran nuclear deal and NATO defense spending.With eye on chancellery, Merkel protege wants new era in GermanyNew World Order exposed and in bad shapeGermany says US sanctions would strengthen radicals in Iran
Germany not hopeful of US policy change after midterms