Europeans Lobby the U.N. for a Tax Upon American Internet Companies

“The way the Internet operates as we know it could all soon change. A recently leaked document reveals that a European-based lobby group has asked the United Nations to tax American websites that provide services abroad.

In December, the leak reveals, the European Telecommunications Network Operators Association (ETNO) approached the United Nations with a proposal that would outline a restructuring of the Internet’s business model when taking into account Web entities with an international presence. If approved, the legislation would tax American-based content providers — such as Apple, Google and Netflix — for offering services to customers overseas. Should they get their wish, the ETNO might soon usher in some serious revisions for the International Telecommunications Regulations (ITR), a legislation that deals with cross-border communications traffic that has remained untouched since its last revision in 1988.”

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