[blibble]

the EU is not China

those subsidiaries are EU companies: they have the same right to market access and to be treated in the same way under EU law as those of Bosch or Miele

and they're capable of suing if they're treated differently

the fact the CEO of the parent company thinks the EU is shit doesn't change this

[emn13]

Politics isn't some formulistic emotionless process; having access to supportive media, which in turn influence public opinion and pressure politicians, who in turn are not entirely free from bias and have agency to pick and choose which priorities they will address most quickly - that kind of stuff matters. Companies try to have great PR even when it doesn't directly influence sales because of this. Additionally, companies spend quite a bit on lobbying. Influence matters, and being a home-grown darling is likely to grant much more of it than being a fairly faceless corporation that's likely not remembered much (and if it is, remembered for negative things).

Regulations are never perfect - and Dyson's own cases clearly show that. But being able to nudge their evolution such that flaws don't hurt you specifically too much is valuable, even if it's not any kind of enforceable right.

Also, while I have a great deal of respect for the value of the EU, no organization is entirely free from regulatory capture (or effects like it). That's not some kind of anti-EU rant; I'm entirely willing to accept that the EU is probably on the healthier end of the spectrum here. But just because they're no worse than others doesn't mean lobbying isn't a thing.