What EU firms? The EU is starved in big tech, and doesn’t have nearly the international impact as Silicon Valley/ US. Many EU companies that get big move to the US (eg Spotify).

If the EU was host to surveillance advertising I’m sure the narrative would be that companies should provide services cheaply instead for the social good. While you can have whatever opinions you want on invasive tracking tech, the reality is that the EU never had their share of profits from it and have always been more critical of US based companies. Yes they’re protectionist.

Edit: it can be good for consumers and good for national protectionism. I’m not questioning if it’s good for consumers but it is definitely good for nationalism.