WASHINGTON _ That glass of Champagne being raised to welcome in the new year is about to get a lot more expensive.
Absent a major breakthrough in trade negotiations with France, the Trump administration is preparing to raise tariffs on a host of French products _ including cheeses, wines and Champagne _ by mid-January. That move might result in a 100% tax increase on France's key exports.
It is in response to a pending digital tax imposed by Paris on companies such as American giants Google, Facebook and Amazon. French officials believe the large tech companies have circumvented tariffs for years by developing headquarters in low-tax European capitals.
