🔗 Share this article EU Could Respond to ‘Unwarranted’ US Visa Bans, Official Says The EU could “respond swiftly and decisively” in response to what it calls “unjustified” travel bans imposed by the US on five European individuals involved in combating online hate and misinformation, a European Commission spokesperson stated. European Leaders Condemn US Action as ‘Coercion’ Officials from Europe including Emmanuel Macron accused the US administration of “coercion and intimidation”, following the travel bans targeted individuals that were at the heart of campaigns to introduce legislation regulating US-based technology firms. “For far too long, ideologues in Europe have led coordinated campaigns to pressure American platforms to punish American viewpoints they oppose,” wrote a senior US official online. “This government will no longer tolerate these egregious acts of censorship beyond its borders.” Broad Criticism From EU Nations Nations including Germany, Spain, and the UK, alongside numerous EU representatives supported the French president in condemning 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 several activists fighting false information, from two in Germany and two in the UK. A Deepening Dispute Over Regulation This European legislation is viewed by Washington as a form of censorship, while EU authorities argue the rules are necessary to control inflammatory language and falsehoods. This row risks becoming a facet of a much broader ongoing cultural and political conflict involving the current US administration and Europe. Other Developments in the News In related judicial news: A US district judge has blocked attempts to cut federal homeland security funding to states which resist certain immigration enforcement policies. The official ruled the action was “another example” of linking government assistance to policy compliance. Approval was given for the deployment of 350 national guard members to New Orleans prior to the new year, alongside an ongoing immigration enforcement operation. A Pacific Island nation will consent to accept dozens of individuals from the US in exchange for increased assistance, after signing a formal agreement with Washington. Furthermore, a congressional representative has filed a lawsuit seeking the stripping of a political figure’s name from a well-known cultural institution in the capital. Experts point out that recent statements regarding foreign petroleum resources reflect a wider ideology in certain circles of “resource imperialism”, leading to parallels with past foreign policy strategies.
The EU could “respond swiftly and decisively” in response to what it calls “unjustified” travel bans imposed by the US on five European individuals involved in combating online hate and misinformation, a European Commission spokesperson stated. European Leaders Condemn US Action as ‘Coercion’ Officials from Europe including Emmanuel Macron accused the US administration of “coercion and intimidation”, following the travel bans targeted individuals that were at the heart of campaigns to introduce legislation regulating US-based technology firms. “For far too long, ideologues in Europe have led coordinated campaigns to pressure American platforms to punish American viewpoints they oppose,” wrote a senior US official online. “This government will no longer tolerate these egregious acts of censorship beyond its borders.” Broad Criticism From EU Nations Nations including Germany, Spain, and the UK, alongside numerous EU representatives supported the French president in condemning 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 several activists fighting false information, from two in Germany and two in the UK. A Deepening Dispute Over Regulation This European legislation is viewed by Washington as a form of censorship, while EU authorities argue the rules are necessary to control inflammatory language and falsehoods. This row risks becoming a facet of a much broader ongoing cultural and political conflict involving the current US administration and Europe. Other Developments in the News In related judicial news: A US district judge has blocked attempts to cut federal homeland security funding to states which resist certain immigration enforcement policies. The official ruled the action was “another example” of linking government assistance to policy compliance. Approval was given for the deployment of 350 national guard members to New Orleans prior to the new year, alongside an ongoing immigration enforcement operation. A Pacific Island nation will consent to accept dozens of individuals from the US in exchange for increased assistance, after signing a formal agreement with Washington. Furthermore, a congressional representative has filed a lawsuit seeking the stripping of a political figure’s name from a well-known cultural institution in the capital. Experts point out that recent statements regarding foreign petroleum resources reflect a wider ideology in certain circles of “resource imperialism”, leading to parallels with past foreign policy strategies.