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Germany calls for TikTok's European business to be placed in European hands
Germany's Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer urged that TikTok's European operations be placed in European hands, following the U.S. example. The remarks come as the EU widens inquiries into TikTok's data practices and platform design, while Brussels emphasizes compliance over ownership.
Why It Matters
The proposal highlights growing European calls for tighter oversight of Chinese-owned tech platforms and how user data from Europe is stored and accessed.
Timeline
5 Events
TikTok data storage policy in Europe
May 13, 2026
TikTok has previously sought to allay EU concerns by storing European users' information in Europe, with limitations on who can access the data.
EU Response: Brussels focuses on compliance, not ownership
May 13, 2026
European Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier said Brussels does not judge by ownership or country of origin, but by compliance with rules. The EU's stance emphasizes adherence to regulations over the company’s ownership structure.
Germany's Weimer urges TikTok's European business be put in European hands
May 12, 2026
Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer told reporters before meeting his EU counterparts in Brussels that Europe should follow the American example and place TikTok's European operations under European ownership. He argued the ownership structure must be open to discussion and stated that European data handling raises concerns about where data is stored and who can access it.
EU inquiry status: TikTok under EU digital content rules
February 2026
The EU told TikTok in February that it needed to change its 'addictive design' or risk heavy fines, as part of ongoing inquiries under the bloc's digital content rules.
Romanian presidential elections foreign interference probe
2024
TikTok is also under investigation in a separate probe opened in late 2024 on alleged foreign interference during the Romanian presidential elections.