US warns of WTO action over discriminatory new taxes on digital giants

OECD is trying to forge new global agreement on taxing technology and digital giants which often declare their income in low-tax jurisdictions, depriving other countries of billions in revenue

The US warned Tuesday it was considering a complaint at the World Trade Organization over "discriminatory" new taxes on American digital giants such as a Facebook and Google planned by France and other EU nations.

"We think the whole theoretical basis of digital service taxes is ill-conceived and the effect is highly discriminatory against US-based multinationals," Chip Harter, a Treasury official and US delegate for global tax talks, said in Paris.

Speaking ahead of two days of talks on the issue in Paris, Harter added that "various parts of our government are studying whether that discriminatory impact would give us rights under