EU Could Retaliate to ‘Unjustified’ US Travel Restrictions, Official States
The EU might “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it calls “unwarranted” visa bans issued by the US against five European individuals working on combating digital hatred and disinformation, an EU official has said.
EU Officials Condemn US Move as ‘Coercion’
Officials from Europe including Emmanuel Macron accused the US administration of “bullying and threats”, following the visa restrictions were placed on figures who have been central to efforts to introduce legislation governing American tech companies.
“For too long, ideologues in Europe have led coordinated campaigns to pressure American platforms to suppress American viewpoints they oppose,” stated the US secretary of state online. “This government will no longer tolerate these egregious acts of censorship beyond its borders.”
Widespread Condemnation Across Europe
Nations including Germany, Spain, and the UK, alongside numerous EU representatives joined the French president in condemning the move.
The restrictions were enacted on Tuesday on a former EU commissioner involved in crafting the bloc’s digital governance law, as well as four activists fighting false information, from Germany and the United Kingdom.
An Escalating Conflict Over Regulation
This European legislation is seen by US officials as a form of censorship, whereas European leaders argue the regulations are necessary to control hate speech and disinformation.
This row threatens to become a facet of a far wider existing political and ideological clash between Washington and Europe.
Other Developments Reported Today
In other legal news:
- A federal judge has blocked attempts to cut security grants to states which resist certain immigration enforcement policies. The judge stated the action was “a further instance” of linking federal aid to adherence to directives.
- Approval was given for the dispatch of hundreds of national guard troops to a major US city prior to the new year, alongside an ongoing border security initiative.
- A Pacific Island nation will consent to take in 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 well-known cultural institution in Washington DC.
Experts have also noted that recent statements regarding foreign petroleum resources align with a wider ideology in some quarters of “resource imperialism”, leading to parallels with historical international actions.
