France warns U.S. against digital tax retaliation

[January 06, 2020]  PARIS (Reuters) - French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire on Monday warned the United States against any retaliation to France's new digital services tax.

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire attends a news conference at the Finance Ministry in Paris, France, October 28, 2019. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo

"If the Americans decide to go ahead and impose sanctions against the digital tax ... in this case we would retaliate," Le Maire told France Inter radio.

"If there were to be sanctions, and it is a possibility that we will take sanctions, we would immediately contact the WTO (World Trade Organization)", he added.

Le Maire said he had sent a letter on that issue to the U.S. negotiator and was also going to discuss it with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin by phone.

(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by Mark Potter)

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