taasinge - 9:20 pm on Mar 9, 2009 (gmt 0)

For most Americans I know, the fact that Europe is doing something is one of the best reasons to avoid doing it here...

Contempt for foreign cultures is indeed a very international phenomenon. But so is openness to the idea that something good may occasionally come from elsewhere.

EU is one of those regions of the world where there is a strong political climate for putting limitations on the behavious of large companies. It is completely natural that those US citizens who tend to consider this a good idea, will look to Europe for inspiration. It is also completely natural that large US companies will try to influence EU law.