EU Might Retaliate to ‘Unjustified’ US Visa Bans, Official Says
The European Union could “act quickly and firmly” against what it calls “unwarranted” travel bans issued by the United States against five Europeans working on fighting digital hatred and disinformation, a European Commission spokesperson has said.
European Leaders Decry US Move as ‘Coercion’
European leaders such as the French president accused the US administration of “coercion and intimidation”, following the travel bans were placed on figures who have been at the heart of efforts to introduce laws regulating US-based technology firms.
“For far too long, European activists have led coordinated campaigns to pressure US companies to punish US perspectives they oppose,” stated a senior US official online. “The current administration 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 supported France in criticizing the decision.
The bans were enacted this week against an ex-European commissioner involved in crafting the bloc’s digital governance law, along with four anti-disinformation campaigners, including Germany and the United Kingdom.
An Escalating Conflict Regarding Governance
The DSA is viewed by US officials as a type of speech restriction, while European leaders argue the regulations are essential to combat inflammatory language and disinformation.
This row threatens to become a facet of a far wider existing political and ideological clash involving Washington and European institutions.
Other Developments Reported Today
In other legal developments:
- A federal judge has halted attempts to cut federal homeland security funding to local governments which resist certain immigration enforcement policies. The judge ruled the case was “another example” of tying government assistance to policy compliance.
- Authorization was issued for the deployment of 350 national guard members to New Orleans prior to the holiday period, coinciding with an ongoing immigration enforcement operation.
- The nation of Palau will consent to accept a limited number of individuals from the US in return for increased assistance, following signing a memorandum of understanding with Washington.
Furthermore, a congressional representative 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 reflect a wider ideology in some quarters of “resource imperialism”, leading to parallels with past foreign policy actions.
