EU Might Retaliate to ‘Unwarranted’ US Visa Bans, Official Says
The EU might “act quickly and firmly” against what it deems “unwarranted” visa bans imposed by the US on five Europeans involved in combating online hate and misinformation, a European Commission spokesperson has said.
European Leaders Decry US Move as ‘Intimidation’
Officials from Europe including Emmanuel Macron accused Washington of “coercion and intimidation”, after the travel bans were placed on individuals that were central to campaigns to introduce legislation regulating US-based technology firms.
“For too long, European activists have spearheaded organised efforts to pressure American platforms to punish American viewpoints they disagree with,” wrote the US secretary of state in a social media post. “This government will not stand for such actions of extraterritorial censorship.”
Broad Criticism From EU Nations
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, along with several anti-disinformation campaigners, including Germany and the United Kingdom.
An Escalating Conflict Over Regulation
This European legislation is seen by Washington as a type of speech restriction, while European leaders contend the regulations are essential to combat inflammatory language and disinformation.
This row risks becoming a facet of a much broader existing political and ideological clash between the current US administration and European institutions.
Additional Updates Reported Today
In other judicial developments:
- A US district judge has blocked attempts to cut security grants to local governments which resist certain immigration enforcement policies. The judge ruled the action was “a further instance” of linking government assistance to policy compliance.
- Authorization was issued for the dispatch of hundreds of national guard troops to New Orleans ahead of the new year, alongside an ongoing immigration enforcement operation.
- A Pacific Island nation has agreed to take in a limited number of migrants from the US in exchange for increased assistance, following signing a formal agreement with US authorities.
Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has filed a lawsuit to demand the stripping of the current president’s name from a prominent cultural institution in Washington DC.
Analysts point out that comments regarding foreign petroleum resources reflect a broader belief in certain circles of “resource imperialism”, leading to parallels with past foreign policy strategies.
