EU Might Retaliate to ‘Unjustified’ US Travel Restrictions, Official Says
The EU could “respond swiftly and decisively” in response to what it calls “unjustified” visa bans imposed by the United States on five Europeans involved in combating online hate and disinformation, a European Commission spokesperson stated.
European Leaders Decry US Move as ‘Coercion’
European leaders including the French president charged the US administration of “bullying and threats”, after the visa restrictions were placed on figures who have been at the heart of campaigns to introduce laws regulating American tech companies.
“For too long, European activists have spearheaded organised efforts to pressure American platforms to suppress American viewpoints they oppose,” wrote the US secretary of state online. “This government will not stand for these egregious acts of censorship beyond its borders.”
Broad Criticism Across Europe
Nations including Germany, Spain, and the UK, alongside numerous EU representatives joined the French president in condemning the decision.
The restrictions were imposed on Tuesday against an ex-European commissioner involved in crafting the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), along with four activists fighting false information, from two in Germany and two in the UK.
A Deepening Dispute Over Regulation
The DSA is viewed by US officials as a type of speech restriction, while EU authorities contend the rules are necessary to control inflammatory language and disinformation.
This row threatens to become a facet of a much broader ongoing political and ideological clash between Washington and European institutions.
Other Developments Reported Today
In other judicial news:
- A federal judge has blocked attempts to cut federal homeland security funding to states that do not comply with specific federal immigration rules. The judge ruled the case was “another example” of tying government assistance to policy compliance.
- Approval was given for the deployment of 350 national guard members to a major US city ahead of the new year, alongside an ongoing immigration enforcement operation.
- A Pacific Island nation will consent to accept dozens of migrants from the US in return for additional aid, following signing a memorandum of understanding with US authorities.
Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has initiated legal action to demand the stripping of the current president’s name from a prominent cultural institution in Washington DC.
Analysts have also noted that recent statements regarding Venezuelan oil reflect a wider ideology in certain circles of “economic expansionism”, leading to parallels with historical international actions.
