EU Could Retaliate to ‘Unjustified’ US Visa Bans, Official States
The European Union might “act quickly and firmly” against what it calls “unwarranted” visa bans issued by the United States on five European individuals working on combating online hate and misinformation, a European Commission spokesperson stated.
European Leaders Condemn US Move as ‘Coercion’
European leaders including the French president accused the US administration of “coercion and intimidation”, after the visa restrictions were placed on individuals who have been at the heart of efforts to introduce laws regulating American tech companies.
“For too long, ideologues in Europe have led organised efforts to pressure US companies to suppress American viewpoints they oppose,” stated the US secretary of state online. “This government will no longer tolerate these egregious acts of extraterritorial censorship.”
Widespread Condemnation Across Europe
Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials joined France in criticizing the move.
The bans were enacted this week against a former EU commissioner involved in crafting the bloc’s digital governance law, along with several anti-disinformation campaigners, from Germany and the United Kingdom.
A Deepening Dispute Over Regulation
The DSA is viewed by US officials as a type of speech restriction, whereas European leaders contend the rules are necessary to combat hate speech and falsehoods.
This disagreement threatens to become a facet of a much broader ongoing political and ideological clash between Washington and Europe.
Other Developments Reported Today
In other judicial news:
- A federal judge has blocked attempts to reduce federal homeland security funding to local governments that do not comply with specific federal immigration rules. The judge stated the case was “another example” of tying federal aid to adherence to directives.
- Approval was given for the dispatch of hundreds of national guard troops to New Orleans ahead of the new year, coinciding with an active immigration enforcement operation.
- A Pacific Island nation has agreed to take in a limited number of migrants from the US in return for increased assistance, after signing a memorandum of understanding with US authorities.
Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has filed a lawsuit seeking the stripping of the current president’s name from a prominent cultural institution in Washington DC.
Analysts have also noted that comments regarding foreign petroleum resources reflect a wider ideology in some quarters of “resource imperialism”, leading to parallels with past foreign policy actions.