The EU might “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it calls “unwarranted” travel bans issued by the US on five European individuals working on combating online hate and disinformation, a European Commission spokesperson has said.
EU Officials Decry US Action as ‘Coercion’
Officials from Europe including Emmanuel Macron accused Washington of “bullying and threats”, after the travel bans targeted individuals that were at the heart of campaigns to introduce laws governing American tech companies.
“For too long, ideologues in Europe have led organised efforts to coerce American platforms to punish American viewpoints they disagree with,” wrote a senior US official in a social media post. “The current administration will not stand for 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 decision.
The restrictions were imposed on Tuesday on an ex-European commissioner involved in crafting the EU’s digital governance law, as well as four activists fighting false information, including two in Germany and two in the UK.
A Deepening Dispute Regarding Governance
This European legislation is viewed by Washington as a type of speech restriction, whereas EU authorities argue the regulations are essential to control inflammatory language and falsehoods.
This row risks becoming part of a much broader ongoing cultural and political conflict between the current US administration and Europe.
Additional Updates Reported Today
In other judicial developments:
- A US district judge has blocked attempts to reduce security grants to states which resist specific federal immigration rules. The official stated the case was “another example” of linking government assistance to policy compliance.
- Authorization was issued for the deployment of hundreds of national guard troops to New Orleans ahead of the new year, alongside 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 initiated legal action seeking the removal of the current president’s name from a prominent cultural institution in the capital.
Analysts point out that comments regarding Venezuelan oil reflect a broader belief in some quarters of “economic expansionism”, leading to parallels with historical international actions.
