The EU, France and Germany condemn US visa sanctions on five Europeans, including ex-commissioner Breton, over digital content rules.
BRUSSELS: The European Union has strongly condemned US sanctions imposed on five European figures involved in regulating technology companies.
The US State Department announced it would deny visas to the individuals, accusing them of seeking to “coerce” American social media platforms into censoring opposing viewpoints.
France and Germany also issued sharp condemnations of the measures from Washington.
A European Commission statement said it had requested clarifications from US authorities and remained engaged.
“If needed, we will respond swiftly and decisively to defend our regulatory autonomy against unjustified measures,” it added.
The statement asserted that EU digital rules ensure a safe, fair, and level playing field applied without discrimination.
Former EU tech commissioner Thierry Breton, often at odds with figures like Elon Musk over platform obligations, was among those sanctioned.
The US State Department described Breton as the “mastermind” of the EU’s Digital Services Act.
The DSA imposes content moderation and transparency standards on major platforms operating in Europe.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration “will no longer tolerate these egregious acts of extraterritorial censorship”.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stated the DSA was democratically adopted for the EU and lacks extraterritorial effect.
He added that the visa bans “are not acceptable”.
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the measures against Breton and four others.
“These measures amount to intimidation and coercion aimed at undermining European digital sovereignty,” Macron said.
He affirmed Europe would defend its “regulatory autonomy”.
The visa ban also targeted Imran Ahmed of the Center for Countering Digital Hate.
Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon of German organisation HateAid were also listed.
Clare Melford, who leads the UK-based Global Disinformation Index, was sanctioned as well.
A HateAid statement called the US decision an “act of repression by an administration that increasingly disregards the rule of law”.
A GDI spokesperson labelled the sanctions “an authoritarian attack on free speech and an egregious act of government censorship”.
It called the actions “immoral, unlawful, and un-American”.
