BRUSSELS, Jan 21 — France’s Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said today talks with the United States on the taxation of digital companies "remained difficult” despite a pledge from the two countries to avoid a trade war until at least the end of this year.

Le Maire said the truce agreed yesterday by French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump was a "very positive starting point” but now the two countries had to reach a compromise on how to tax digital activities at global level.

He said the target remained to impose a minimum tax rate on companies which at the moment pay no levies. — Reuters