Brussels has dusted off an old plan. A bloc-wide digital services tax could pull in as much as €5 billion a year. The figure comes straight from a recent European Commission assessment tied to upcoming seven-year budget talks. But the numbers tell only part of the story. National experiments across Europe have already shown both the revenue potential and the friction these levies create. Back in 2018 the Commission first floated a 3% tax on revenues from certain digital activities. It targeted big tech firms with global turnover above €750 million and EU revenues over €50 million. The idea was simple. Capture value created in Europe by companies that often report profits elsewhere. Yet talks stalled. Nations waited for an OECD global agreement on profit allocation. That deal, known as Pillar One, has gone nowhere fast. Now momentum builds again. Bloomberg Tax reported the Commission’s fresh projection on June 1, 2026. The €5 billion estimate assumes a uniform 3% rate applied across member states.…