🔗 Share this article EU Could Retaliate to ‘Unjustified’ US Travel Restrictions, Official States The EU could “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it calls “unjustified” visa bans issued by the United States on five Europeans working on combating digital hatred and misinformation, an EU official has said. EU Officials Condemn US Move as ‘Intimidation’ European leaders such as the French president accused Washington of “coercion and intimidation”, after the visa restrictions targeted figures that were at the heart of efforts to enact laws governing US-based technology firms. “For too long, ideologues in Europe have spearheaded coordinated campaigns to coerce US companies to punish American viewpoints they oppose,” wrote a senior US official in a social media post. “The current administration will not stand for such actions of extraterritorial censorship.” Broad Criticism Across Europe Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials joined France in criticizing the move. The bans were enacted on Tuesday against a former EU commissioner who helped draft the EU’s digital governance law, as well as several activists fighting false information, from Germany and the United Kingdom. An Escalating Conflict Over Regulation This European legislation is viewed by US officials as a type of speech restriction, whereas European leaders argue the regulations are necessary to control inflammatory language and disinformation. This row threatens to become a facet of a far wider existing cultural and political conflict involving Washington and European institutions. Additional Updates in the News In other legal news: A US district judge has halted efforts to reduce security grants to states which resist certain immigration enforcement policies. The judge stated the action was “a further instance” of tying government assistance to adherence to directives. Approval was given for the dispatch of 350 national guard members to New Orleans ahead of the new year, coinciding with an active immigration enforcement operation. The nation of Palau will consent to take in a limited number of individuals from the US in return for increased assistance, following concluding a memorandum of understanding with Washington. Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has initiated legal action seeking the stripping of the current president’s name from a well-known performing arts center in Washington DC. Analysts point out that recent statements regarding Venezuelan oil reflect a broader belief in some quarters of “resource imperialism”, leading to parallels with historical international strategies.
The EU could “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it calls “unjustified” visa bans issued by the United States on five Europeans working on combating digital hatred and misinformation, an EU official has said. EU Officials Condemn US Move as ‘Intimidation’ European leaders such as the French president accused Washington of “coercion and intimidation”, after the visa restrictions targeted figures that were at the heart of efforts to enact laws governing US-based technology firms. “For too long, ideologues in Europe have spearheaded coordinated campaigns to coerce US companies to punish American viewpoints they oppose,” wrote a senior US official in a social media post. “The current administration will not stand for such actions of extraterritorial censorship.” Broad Criticism Across Europe Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials joined France in criticizing the move. The bans were enacted on Tuesday against a former EU commissioner who helped draft the EU’s digital governance law, as well as several activists fighting false information, from Germany and the United Kingdom. An Escalating Conflict Over Regulation This European legislation is viewed by US officials as a type of speech restriction, whereas European leaders argue the regulations are necessary to control inflammatory language and disinformation. This row threatens to become a facet of a far wider existing cultural and political conflict involving Washington and European institutions. Additional Updates in the News In other legal news: A US district judge has halted efforts to reduce security grants to states which resist certain immigration enforcement policies. The judge stated the action was “a further instance” of tying government assistance to adherence to directives. Approval was given for the dispatch of 350 national guard members to New Orleans ahead of the new year, coinciding with an active immigration enforcement operation. The nation of Palau will consent to take in a limited number of individuals from the US in return for increased assistance, following concluding a memorandum of understanding with Washington. Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has initiated legal action seeking the stripping of the current president’s name from a well-known performing arts center in Washington DC. Analysts point out that recent statements regarding Venezuelan oil reflect a broader belief in some quarters of “resource imperialism”, leading to parallels with historical international strategies.