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2026-06-04 08:55:26
【Meta Accuses Australia of Violating Bilateral Free Trade Agreement with New Tax】 (1) Meta issued a statement explicitly opposing Australia's proposed "news negotiation incentive" bill. The company believes that the bill proposes to impose a tax equivalent to 2.25% of the total revenue in Australia on tech giants (including Meta, Google, and TikTok) that have not reached licensing agreements with local media. This is not only "untenable" but also "clearly violates" the commitment in the US-Australia bilateral free trade agreement to treat US companies "no less" than their Australian counterparts. (2) This dispute has lasted for nearly five years. The types and intensity of the new taxes are far greater than before and may further exacerbate geopolitical tensions between the US and Australia. (3) According to the regulations, the covered tech companies will first have the opportunity to reach a business agreement with Australian news publishers; if they ultimately refuse, the tax will be enforced.
