I wonder why there isn&#x27;t more resistance against the exorbitant fines the US charges European banks every year. These fines have become a significant business risk and should be regulated in free trade agreements, just like subsidies are limited in such agreements. For many European banks, the US business is a money drain, i.e. it costs them more than they get from it. However, they cannot escape US regulation and legal exposure as long as they want to have the ability to trade US dollars. In the end, this is a hidden tax the US charges on all banks world wide, just because it is powerful enough to do so.