Why Europe can't stand US tech companies

By Mike Bird

GENEVA: The European Union seems to hate American tech companies. Just today, there's been a whole range of stories on this theme: Google could end up with a $6-billion EU fine. Uber issued complaints against Spain, France, and Germany after legal challenges from those countries. And the EU is going after Apple's new music business before it has even really started.

American tech companies have been attacked for favourable tax treatment and US President Barack Obama says European opposition is a commercial, protectionist issue. But neither of these gets to the real heart of the issue.

Europe's perceived hatred toward dominant American tech companies, like Google or Apple, is more cultural than anything. By nature, Europe has a less positive attitude toward innovation and entrepreneurship than America. There's more. In Spain, 65.1% people who haven't set up their own business agree with the statement "entrepreneurs think only about their own wallet".

It's not that high across the whole of Europe, but the US figure for the same question posed to the same group of people is just 26.7%.

Similarly, when asked to agree or disagree with the statement "entrepreneurs exploit other people's work," only 27.9% of people who've never set up a business agree.