Pay or Okay is reasonable to some extent (depending on the amount).

Do European countries hold themselves and the local companies to the same standards, respect their citizens and their privacy rights?

I remember a French institution could not buy our product, because they had a contract with a local manufacturer. They explained to us that they are obliged to buy from this company, or otherwise go through a complicated process of explaining to the government AND the company why that company doesn’t meet their needs. Sounded absurd! They had to sort of get the permission of the competitor company!