🔗 Share this article European Union Could Retaliate to ‘Unwarranted’ US Travel Restrictions, Spokesperson Says The EU might “respond swiftly and decisively” in response to what it calls “unjustified” travel bans issued by the US against five Europeans working on combating online hate and disinformation, an EU official has said. European Leaders Decry US Move as ‘Coercion’ European leaders including the French president accused Washington of “coercion and intimidation”, following the travel bans were placed on figures who have been at the heart of campaigns to enact legislation regulating American tech companies. “For far too long, European activists have led coordinated campaigns to pressure American platforms to suppress American viewpoints they oppose,” wrote the US secretary of state online. “The current administration will no longer tolerate such actions of extraterritorial censorship.” Widespread Condemnation Across Europe Nations including Germany, Spain, and the UK, alongside numerous EU representatives supported the French president in condemning the move. The bans were enacted on Tuesday on an ex-European commissioner who helped draft the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), as well as several activists fighting false information, from two in Germany and two in the UK. A Deepening Dispute Regarding Governance The DSA is viewed by US officials as a type of speech restriction, whereas EU authorities contend the regulations are essential to combat hate speech and falsehoods. This row threatens to become part of a far wider ongoing cultural and political conflict involving Washington and Europe. Other Developments in the News In other legal developments: A US district judge has blocked efforts to reduce federal homeland security funding to local governments which resist 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 deployment of 350 national guard members to New Orleans prior to the holiday period, coinciding with an active border security initiative. The nation of Palau will consent to accept a limited number of migrants from the US in exchange for increased assistance, following concluding a memorandum of understanding with US authorities. Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has initiated legal action to demand the stripping of the current president’s name from a well-known performing arts center in the capital. Experts point out that comments regarding Venezuelan oil reflect a wider ideology in some quarters of “economic expansionism”, leading to parallels with historical international strategies.
The EU might “respond swiftly and decisively” in response to what it calls “unjustified” travel bans issued by the US against five Europeans working on combating online hate and disinformation, an EU official has said. European Leaders Decry US Move as ‘Coercion’ European leaders including the French president accused Washington of “coercion and intimidation”, following the travel bans were placed on figures who have been at the heart of campaigns to enact legislation regulating American tech companies. “For far too long, European activists have led coordinated campaigns to pressure American platforms to suppress American viewpoints they oppose,” wrote the US secretary of state online. “The current administration will no longer tolerate such actions of extraterritorial censorship.” Widespread Condemnation Across Europe Nations including Germany, Spain, and the UK, alongside numerous EU representatives supported the French president in condemning the move. The bans were enacted on Tuesday on an ex-European commissioner who helped draft the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), as well as several activists fighting false information, from two in Germany and two in the UK. A Deepening Dispute Regarding Governance The DSA is viewed by US officials as a type of speech restriction, whereas EU authorities contend the regulations are essential to combat hate speech and falsehoods. This row threatens to become part of a far wider ongoing cultural and political conflict involving Washington and Europe. Other Developments in the News In other legal developments: A US district judge has blocked efforts to reduce federal homeland security funding to local governments which resist 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 deployment of 350 national guard members to New Orleans prior to the holiday period, coinciding with an active border security initiative. The nation of Palau will consent to accept a limited number of migrants from the US in exchange for increased assistance, following concluding a memorandum of understanding with US authorities. Additionally, a Democratic lawmaker has initiated legal action to demand the stripping of the current president’s name from a well-known performing arts center in the capital. Experts point out that comments regarding Venezuelan oil reflect a wider ideology in some quarters of “economic expansionism”, leading to parallels with historical international strategies.