The Trump Administration has released the United States–Italy Joint Leaders Statement on 18 April 2025, marking the conclusion of the first official meeting between US President Donald Trump and Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The statement states, “We highlight the importance of information technology to enabling free enterprise across the Atlantic. We agreed that a non-discriminatory environment in terms of digital services taxation is necessary to enable investments from cutting-edge tech companies.”Â
Although the statement didn’t provide any details, it suggests that Italy is open to adjusting its digital service tax, which the US Trade Representative (USTR) considers discriminatory against US companies.
Earlier, on 21 February 2025, Trump signed a memorandum titled “Defending American Companies and Innovators From Overseas Extortion and Unfair Fines and Penalties.” This directive includes the renewal of Section 301 investigations into foreign digital service taxes (DSTs), aiming to address concerns over the unfair treatment of American businesses abroad, particularly US tech companies such as Amazon and Google.
The memorandum notes that the US digital economy, led by American tech companies, has recently surpassed the entire economies of Australia, Canada, and most EU countries. However, foreign governments are increasingly imposing extraterritorial authority over US tech companies, rather than supporting their own workers and economies.
