The UK could face trade tariffs of up to 25 per cent on a host of exports in retaliation against a tax on US tech giants.<\/p>\n
Ceramics, make-up, overcoats, games consoles and furniture\u00a0could all be hit, according to a list published by the new Biden administration.<\/p>\n
The duties are designed to raise $325m, the amount the US believes the UK tax will raise from US tech companies.<\/p>\n
A UK government spokesperson said: \u201cLike many countries around the world, we want to make sure tech firms pay their fair share of tax. Our digital services tax (DST) is reasonable, proportionate and non-discriminatory.\u201d<\/p>\n
They added: \u201cShould the US proceed to implement these measures, we would consider all options to defend UK interests and industry.\u201d<\/p>\n
Washington is pressing ahead with the action, initiated under former President Trump, and has scheduled hearings on the list.<\/p>\n
It argues the recently introduced digital services tax \u2013 which taxes tech firms on their revenues \u2013 has \u201cunreasonable, discriminatory, and burdensome attributes\u201d.<\/p>\n
Similar actions have proceeded against similar taxes in India, Austria and Spain, but action against the European Union as a whole was dropped.<\/p>\n
The US Section 301 action is designed to apply domestic political pressure within the UK and other countries over the imposition of such taxes.<\/p>\n
The UK and US held talks about the digital services tax on 4 December, and UK government sources stressed that the tariff list was being seen as procedural rather than an escalation.<\/p>\n
The tariffs are now subject to a consultation in the US over the next few weeks.<\/p>\n
The Office for Budget Responsibility has calculated the digital services tax would raise \u00a3300m in the current financial year, and as much as \u00a3700m in future years.<\/p>\n
Brought in last April it taxes at two per cent the revenues \u2014 not profits \u00adof search engines, social media services and online marketplaces which derive value from UK users.<\/p>\n
It followed years of claims in Europe and elsewhere that big tech firms do not pay enough tax in the countries where they operate.<\/p>\n
Last August, Facebook agreed to pay the French government \u20ac106m (\u00a395.7m) in back taxes to settle a dispute over revenues earned in the country.<\/p>\n
Earlier that year, Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg\u00a0said he recognised the public\u2019s frustration over the amount of tax paid by tech giants.<\/p>\n
The UK government spokesperson said the move was temporary and added: \u201cWe\u2019re working positively with the US and other international partners to find a global solution to this problem and will remove the DST when that is in place.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are signs the Biden administration wants a more conciliatory relationship on trade with the UK than Donald Trump did.<\/p>\n
Last month, Washington agreed to suspend tariffs on UK goods, including single malt whiskies, that were imposed in retaliation over subsidies to aircraft maker Airbus. However, the UK is still lobbying the US to drop duties on British steel brought in in 2018.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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