EU Might Retaliate to ‘Unjustified’ US Visa Bans, Spokesperson States
The EU might “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it calls “unjustified” visa bans issued by the United States against five Europeans involved in fighting digital hatred and disinformation, an EU official has said.
EU Officials Condemn US Action as ‘Coercion’
Officials from Europe including Emmanuel Macron charged Washington of “bullying and threats”, following the travel bans targeted figures who have been at the heart of efforts to introduce legislation regulating US-based technology firms.
“For far too long, ideologues in Europe have spearheaded organised efforts to coerce American platforms to punish American viewpoints they oppose,” wrote the US secretary of state online. “This government will not stand for such actions of censorship beyond its borders.”
Widespread Condemnation From EU Nations
Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials joined the French president in criticizing the decision.
The restrictions were imposed on Tuesday on a former EU commissioner who helped draft the bloc’s digital governance law, as well as several activists fighting false information, including Germany and the United Kingdom.
A Deepening Dispute Over Regulation
The DSA is seen by Washington as a form of censorship, whereas EU authorities argue the regulations are necessary to control inflammatory language and falsehoods.
This disagreement threatens to become part of a far wider ongoing political and ideological clash between Washington and Europe.
Additional Updates Reported Today
In other legal developments:
- A US district judge has blocked attempts to reduce security grants to local governments which resist certain immigration enforcement policies. The judge ruled the case was “another example” of linking government assistance to policy compliance.
- Approval was given for the dispatch of hundreds of national guard troops to a major US city prior to the holiday period, alongside an ongoing immigration enforcement operation.
- A Pacific Island nation has agreed to accept dozens of individuals from the US in return for additional aid, following concluding a memorandum of understanding with US authorities.
Furthermore, a Democratic lawmaker has initiated legal action to demand the stripping of the current president’s name from a prominent performing arts center in Washington DC.
Experts have also noted that comments regarding foreign petroleum resources reflect a broader belief in certain circles of “economic expansionism”, leading to parallels with historical international actions.