Italy's foreign minister Luigi Di Maio on Monday played down warnings from the United States government over its plan to introduce a tax on technology companies in January.
"We haven't received any threats from the US over the digital tax," Di Maio told reporters on the sidelines of a European Affairs Council meeting in Brussels.
"I would like to root for the US because it is always portrayed as a bad guy who threatens his allies," Di Maio added.
Italy’s 2020 budget introduces from 1 January a 3 percent levy on revenue from internet transactions for digital companies with sales of at least 750 million euros.
The digital services tax is expected to bring in 708 million euros annually, according to a Senate report accompanying Italy's 2020 draft budget law.
Britain, France and Spain also plan digital taxes affecting US internet giants.
