French lawmakers approved a tax of €0.055 for every gigabyte of internet traffic

French lawmakers approved an amendment to the 2027 budget creating a tax on internet data traffic generated by content providers. Set at €0.055 per gigabyte, it is projected to raise €10 billion. Supporter Laurent Lhardit argued that the charge would fall mainly on large global digital platforms, which account for much of the data delivered to French subscribers, and would help restore tax fairness for local businesses competing with online retailers. He said the system would measure traffic entering French networks, preserve net neutrality and avoid problems that undermined similar proposals elsewhere. He also claimed five major platforms generate half of incoming traffic, while 25 foreign platforms together account for 75-80 percent.

The government and the budget committee opposed the measure. The committee’s general rapporteur warned that powerful platforms could pass the cost on to advertisers. Public Accounts Minister David Amiel questioned how traffic would be measured, suggesting the system might require network sensors or measurements at individual receiving devices. He also argued that smaller providers, including French firms, could bear half the tax’s estimated burden - about €5 billion - rather than the largest platforms. Lhardit countered that the charge would be negligible for broadcasters such as TF1 and difficult to shift to users of free services like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. The amendment passed by 11 votes to 10, with 35 lawmakers voting and 21 casting valid ballots.