The US announced a tariff of 25 per cent on $1.3 billion (Dh4.77bn) worth of French goods in a long-running battle between the two countries over taxes on technology giants.
The Office of the US Trade Representative said on Friday that it would again push back the collection of the levies by up to 180 days as France has yet to begin collecting its digital tax.
The Trump administration said it would also grant more time to ongoing talks on a global deal at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Affected items include make-up, soap and handbags. However, items excluded from the US tariff list include French wine and cheese.
France held firm on its plans to resume collection of a national digital tax that hits technology giants including Amazon, Alphabet’s Google and Facebook, and said on Friday that it would not be swayed by threats of US sanctions.
“France’s response will be unchanged,” finance minister Bruno Le Maire said in Brussels. “If there is no international solution by the end of 2020, we will, as we have always said, apply our national tax.”
The US withdrew last month from international talks over a digital tax deal after failing to reach an agreement on developing a global levy.
The OECD has sought to help about 140 countries agree on how to address how multinationals – particularly big technology companies – are taxed in the nations where they have users or consumers.
An international deal would prevent dozens of countries from introducing their own versions of levies.
Several European countries – including Austria, France, Spain, Hungary, Italy, Turkey and the UK – announced plans for a digital services tax while many others held discussions on the matter. India expanded a levy that it already uses in April.
“We call on the US to return to the OECD negotiations on taxing digital giants,” Mr Le Maire said. “Sanctions are not a way of operating between countries that are friends, as the US and France are.”
The announcement sent a clear signal to France and other countries considering similar measures that there would be consequences to singling out American technology companies, said Clete Willems, a partner at law firm Akin Gump.
Still, the tariff delay provided a valuable opportunity to solve this multilaterally, he said.
“Both sides need to compromise,” he said. “France needs to back away from trying to tax digital companies before all global service providers and the US needs to stop insisting that the new rules be optional.”
US politicians expressed their support for the tariffs shortly after the announcement.
“Retaliatory tariffs aren’t ideal but the French government’s refusal to back down from its unilateral imposition of unfair and punitive taxes on US companies leaves our government with no choice,” the top Republican, Chuck Grassley, and Democrat Ron Wyden on the Senate Finance Committee – with jurisdiction over taxes – said.
INDIA SQUAD
Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Vijay Shankar, MS Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami
Sanju
Produced: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Paresh Rawal, Anushka Sharma, Manish’s Koirala, Dia Mirza, Sonam Kapoor, Jim Sarbh, Boman Irani
Rating: 3.5 stars
Your Guide to the Home
- Level 1 has a valet service if you choose not to park in the basement level. This level houses all the kitchenware, including covetable brand French Bull, along with a wide array of outdoor furnishings, lamps and lighting solutions, textiles like curtains, towels, cushions and bedding, and plenty of other home accessories.
- Level 2 features curated inspiration zones and solutions for bedrooms, living rooms and dining spaces. This is also where you’d go to customise your sofas and beds, and pick and choose from more than a dozen mattress options.
- Level 3 features The Home’s “man cave” set-up and a display of industrial and rustic furnishings. This level also has a mother’s room, a play area for children with staff to watch over the kids, furniture for nurseries and children’s rooms, and the store’s design studio.
A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
more from Janine di Giovanni
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
ENGLAND TEAM
England (15-1)
George Furbank; Jonny May, Manu Tuilagi, Owen Farrell (capt), Elliot Daly; George Ford, Ben Youngs; Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Courtney Lawes; Charlie Ewels, Maro Itoje; Kyle Sinckler, Jamie George, Joe Marler
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, George Kruis, Lewis Ludlam, Willi Heinz, Ollie Devoto, Jonathan Joseph
Coal Black Mornings
Brett Anderson
Little Brown Book Group
UAE squad
Ali Kashief, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdelrahman, Mohammed Al Attas (Al Jazira), Mohmmed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammad Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Eisa, Mohammed Shakir, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Adel Al Hosani, Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah), Waleed Abbas, Ismail Al Hammadi, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli Dubai) Habib Fardan, Tariq Ahmed, Mohammed Al Akbari (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Mahrami (Baniyas)
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
6.30pm Meydan Classic Trial US$100,000 (Turf) 1,400m
Winner Bella Fever, Dane O’Neill (jockey), Mike de Kock (trainer).
7.05pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Woven, Harry Bentley, David Simcock.
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner Fore Left, William Buick, Doug O’Neill.
8.15pm Dubai Sprint Listed Handicap $175,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner Rusumaat, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi.
8.50pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group Two $450,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner Benbatl, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor.
9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner Art Du Val, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
10pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Beyond Reason, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
Company%20Profile
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