Exclusive-EU's planned digital levy to cover hundreds of firms, Vestager says

FILE PHOTO: European Commissioner for Europe fit for the Digital Age Margrethe Vestager speaks during a news conference on a competition sector inquiry at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium June 9, 2021. John Thys/Pool via REUTERS

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -A digital levy to be proposed by the European Commission in the coming weeks to fund its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic will apply to hundreds of companies, the majority of them European, its executive vice-president Margrethe Vestager said.

In a bid to fire up growth and foster a greener and more digital economy, the 27 European Union countries last year agreed to jointly borrow 750 billion euros ($887 billion) for a post-pandemic recovery fund.