EU Might Retaliate to ‘Unwarranted’ US Visa Bans, Official States
The EU could “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it deems “unwarranted” travel bans imposed by the US on five Europeans involved in combating digital hatred and misinformation, an EU official has said.
European Leaders Decry US Action as ‘Intimidation’
Officials from Europe including Emmanuel Macron charged the US administration of “bullying and threats”, following the visa restrictions targeted figures who have been central to efforts to enact legislation regulating US-based technology firms.
“For too long, ideologues in Europe have led coordinated campaigns to pressure US companies to suppress US perspectives they disagree with,” wrote a senior US official in a social media post. “This government will no longer tolerate such actions of censorship beyond its borders.”
Widespread Condemnation From EU Nations
Nations including Germany, Spain, and the UK, alongside numerous EU representatives joined the French president in condemning the decision.
The restrictions were enacted this week on a former EU commissioner who helped draft the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA), as well as four activists fighting false information, from Germany and the United Kingdom.
An Escalating Conflict Over Regulation
The DSA is seen by US officials as a form of censorship, while European leaders argue the rules are essential to combat hate speech and falsehoods.
This row threatens to become a facet of a far wider existing cultural and political conflict involving Washington and European institutions.
Other Developments Reported Today
In other legal developments:
- A US district judge has halted efforts to cut security grants to states that do not comply with certain immigration enforcement policies. The judge ruled the action was “a further instance” of tying government assistance to policy compliance.
- Approval was given for the dispatch of 350 national guard members to New Orleans ahead of the new year, alongside an active immigration enforcement operation.
- The nation of Palau will consent to accept a limited number of migrants from the US in exchange for additional aid, following signing a memorandum of understanding with US authorities.
Furthermore, a Democratic lawmaker has filed a lawsuit to demand the stripping of the current president’s name from a well-known cultural institution in Washington DC.
Experts point out that comments regarding foreign petroleum resources reflect a broader belief in some quarters of “economic expansionism”, leading to parallels with historical international strategies.
