EU regulations impose heavy costs on US companies, study finds

The European Union‘s stringent tech regulations are imposing nearly $100 billion per year on American companies operating within the 27-member bloc, according to a new study released Monday morning.

As much as $97.6 billion is incurred annually by the EU’s restrictions on digital services with a floor estimate of $38.9 billion annually, the Computer and Communications Industry Association Research Center found. Companies from the United States are disproportionately affected by these heavy costs.

Fines and penalties alone collectively cost these companies up to $62.5 billion annually, with the potential costs per company ranging from $4.3 billion to $12.5 billion annually.

For instance, the European Commission placed its largest fine on Google, worth $5.1 billion, in 2018 over an antitrust violation related to the company’s Android operating

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