EU Could Respond to ‘Unwarranted’ US Travel Restrictions, Official Says
The European Union might “respond swiftly and decisively” in response to what it calls “unjustified” visa bans issued by the US on five European individuals involved in fighting digital hatred and disinformation, a European Commission spokesperson has said.
EU Officials Decry US Move as ‘Intimidation’
European leaders such as Emmanuel Macron accused Washington of “coercion and intimidation”, after the visa restrictions were placed on individuals that were at the heart of efforts to introduce legislation governing US-based technology firms.
“For too long, European activists have spearheaded organised efforts to coerce US companies to suppress American viewpoints they disagree with,” wrote the US secretary of state online. “This government will no longer tolerate these egregious acts of extraterritorial censorship.”
Broad Criticism From EU Nations
Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials joined France in criticizing the move.
The bans were enacted this week on an ex-European commissioner who helped draft the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), along with four anti-disinformation campaigners, including Germany and the United Kingdom.
A Deepening Dispute Regarding Governance
The DSA is seen by US officials as a form of censorship, whereas EU authorities argue the regulations are necessary to combat inflammatory language and disinformation.
This disagreement threatens to become part of a far wider existing political and ideological clash involving the current US administration and Europe.
Other Developments Reported Today
In other judicial news:
- A US district judge has blocked efforts to reduce security grants to states which resist certain immigration enforcement policies. The judge stated the action was “another example” of tying federal aid to policy compliance.
- Authorization was issued for the dispatch of hundreds of national guard troops to New Orleans prior to the holiday period, coinciding with an ongoing border security initiative.
- A Pacific Island nation will consent to accept dozens of individuals from the US in return for additional aid, after signing a memorandum of understanding with US authorities.
Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has filed a lawsuit to demand the removal of the current president’s name from a prominent cultural institution in Washington DC.
Experts have also noted that comments regarding Venezuelan oil align with a wider ideology in some quarters of “economic expansionism”, leading to parallels with historical international strategies.
