US tech giants including Amazon, Meta, X, Apple, and Google, have called on the Trump administration to take action against Australia over laws they say are forcing US companies to pay “hundreds of millions of dollars” down under.
The Computer and Communications Industry Associated delivered its submission to the Office of the US Trade Representative, discussing the new round of tariffs to be imposed on April 2.
The CCIA took an anti-tariff stance – but urged the US government to target countries with digital and social media laws such as Australia’s, which the body said hampered trade conditions.
“The overriding goal should not be restrictions on the foreign products or services, but, rather, removal of the barriers,” the submission said.
“Imposing targeted, reciprocal measures, while on occasion necessary as a negotiating tool, invariably incurs costs and unintended consequences, including raising costs of inputs for both domestic manufacturing, services, and corresponding exports.”
In a similar vein, the submission urged the US to target overseas laws that they allege extract money from US companies to “subsidise” foreign industry.
“Australia’s extraction and redistribution of revenue from US digital suppliers to local news businesses is reported to have cost US firms US$140 million ($222.3 million) annually,” the statement read.
Later in its statement, the CCIA warned costs were likely to increase if Australia went ahead with a new “incentives” tax.
Australia’s News Media Bargaining Code requires designated digital platforms to pay local news publishers for content.
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It’s unclear if the US government will take action on the statement.
A tariff on Australian tech exports to the US is unlikely to have much of an impact.
However, exports such as beef and medicines have come in the spotlight recently, and they form a much bigger part of Australia’s trade relationship with the US.
