U.S. Internet Giants Press for OECD Global Tax Deal Over Tariffs

A week of hearings by the U.S. Trade Representative on digital-services taxes charged by six nations is under way, with groups including Internet giants Amazon to Facebook pressing for a global deal instead of a costly new bout of tariffs.

Monday’s USTR virtual hearing kicked off an opportunity for industry associations that wanted to address policies across Austria, India, Italy, Spain, Turkey and the U.K. to tax the local revenue of online service providers. The U.S. in March announced plans to hit the nations with retaliatory tariffs that could total almost $1 billion annually under section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.