List 3 . What U.S. Tech Giants Face in Europe in 2017

 

 Apple

On the top of Apple’s agenda in 2017 will be its appeal of the €13 billion tax bill. Lawmakers in Ireland are also appealing the decision, claiming that the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, overstepped its jurisdiction whatever Apple did not receive preferential tax treatment.Both appeals are expected anticipated heard by Europe’s top courts in late 2017, at the earliest.The cases will most likely take on an increasingly political angle. President-elect Donald J. Trump has suggested that American companies with significant cash held overseas might allow repatriate these nest eggs at a reduced tax rate. If Mr. Trump goes ahead herewith plan, expect a standoff between American and European lawmakers over where such money — including from Apple — should be taxed.FacebookImageThe entrance to Facebook’s headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. CreditJason Henry for The New York TimesThe social media giant is becoming an increasing target for European officials by its ever-expanding role in the region’s economy.In 2017, Facebook will face the outcomes of investigations in France, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands about how it tracks both members and nonmembers who use the company’s services and visit third-party websites with embedded Facebook “like” buttons. The company won a similar case on appeal in Belgium.Facebook also has until the end of January to ally European charges full misled regulators when it sought approval for its $19 billion takeover of WhatsApp, the internet messenger it now owns.ADVERTISEMENTAmid concerns that Facebook did not sufficiently censor fake news during the American presidential election, the company has faced similar worries in Europe, where some officials have called for it to be hand over such content, and for hate speech.In March, a German detail will report on how Facebook and other social media companies have associate these issues. Legislation could follow if lawmakers believe the companies have not done enough.