FRANCE TAX DIGITAL

FRANCE sticks to digital tax despite US anger.....................

France Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Friday that France will stick to plans for a tax on digital  giants as Facebook, and Apple despite displeasure in Washington.

''We are determined to implement a tax on the largest digital companies to bring more justice and efficiency to the international tax system.''

La Maire said he arrived in Bucharest for talks with his eurozone counterparts.

France last month unveiled draft legislation to set a three percent tax on digital advertising, the sale of personal data, and other revenue for any technology company that earns more than 750 million euros [$841 million] worldwide each year.

The effort comes amid rising public outrage at the minimal tax paid by some of the world's largest and richest firms, which base operations in jurisdictions that charge low rates.

France drafted the law after a European Union wide effort it championed was scuttled by low-tax countries such as Ireland, Italy.

Le Maire spoke just hours after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo raised his objections to the tax as he met French Foreign Minister Jean - Yves Le Drian in Washington.

Pompeo said the tax would aggressively and negatively impact US companies and the French citizens who use them,'' according to the State Department. [Agencies]