EU Might Retaliate to ‘Unwarranted’ US Visa Bans, Spokesperson Says
The European Union could “respond swiftly and decisively” against what it calls “unjustified” travel bans imposed by the US against five Europeans involved in combating online hate and misinformation, an EU official has said.
EU Officials Condemn US Action as ‘Coercion’
Officials from Europe such as Emmanuel Macron charged Washington of “coercion and intimidation”, following the travel bans targeted individuals that were at the heart of efforts to enact laws regulating American tech companies.
“For too long, European activists have spearheaded coordinated campaigns to coerce US companies to suppress American viewpoints they disagree with,” wrote the US secretary of state online. “This government will not stand for these egregious acts of censorship beyond its borders.”
Widespread Condemnation From EU Nations
Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials supported the French president in criticizing the decision.
The bans were imposed this week on an ex-European commissioner who helped draft the EU’s digital governance law, as well as several anti-disinformation campaigners, from two in Germany and two in the UK.
An Escalating Conflict Over Regulation
The DSA is seen by Washington as a form of censorship, while EU authorities argue the rules are necessary to combat inflammatory language and disinformation.
This disagreement threatens to become part of a much broader ongoing cultural and political conflict between Washington and European institutions.
Additional Updates Reported Today
In other legal developments:
- A federal judge has blocked efforts to cut security grants to local governments which resist specific federal immigration rules. The official stated the case was “another example” of linking government assistance to adherence to directives.
- Approval was given for the dispatch of 350 national guard members to a major US city ahead of the new year, coinciding with an active border security initiative.
- A Pacific Island nation will consent to accept a limited number of migrants from the US in return for increased assistance, after signing a formal agreement with Washington.
Furthermore, a Democratic lawmaker has filed a lawsuit to demand the removal of a political figure’s name from a well-known performing arts center in the capital.
Experts have also noted that recent statements regarding Venezuelan oil reflect a wider ideology in some quarters of “economic expansionism”, leading to parallels with past foreign policy strategies.
