Andrew Puzder, the US ambassador to the European Union, has warned that European companies could face retaliation from Washington if Brussels implements its plans to restrict American competitors, including SpaceX, from the European market.
The European Commission has proposed allocating part of the frequency spectrum for direct smartphone-to-satellite communication to European companies. This plan could limit access to this segment of the market for American and Chinese companies, including SpaceX.
Pointing to the vastness of the American market, Puzder said that European companies should take seriously the possibility of Washington’s retaliatory response, a response that he said could have very detrimental consequences for these companies.
The US ambassador has also called on the European Union to cooperate with Washington in the field of artificial intelligence instead of imposing legal restrictions and financial penalties to compete with China.
SpaceX has previously criticized the EU’s proposal, warning that it could reduce the quality of Starlink communications services in Ukraine, which have played a key role in civilian and military communications since the Russian invasion began.
