EU condemns US travel curbs on five Europeans
The European Commission on Wednesday strongly criticized the U.S. decision to impose travel restrictions on five European individuals, including former European Commissioner Thierry Breton.
The Commission warned it would act “swiftly and decisively” to defend the EU’s regulatory autonomy if necessary, News.Az reports, citing Xinhua.
“Freedom of expression is a fundamental right in Europe and a shared core value with the United States across the democratic world,” a Commission spokesperson said in a statement.
The spokesperson emphasized that the EU is “an open, rules-based single market” with the sovereign right to regulate economic activity in line with its democratic principles and international commitments. The EU’s digital rules are intended to ensure “a safe, fair, and level playing field for all companies” and are applied fairly and without discrimination, the spokesperson added.
The Commission has requested clarifications from U.S. authorities and continues to engage with them on the issue.
On Tuesday, the U.S. State Department announced visa restrictions on five individuals from the EU and Britain, alleging their involvement in content censorship on U.S. social media platforms. Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers later revealed the names on X, claiming Breton was “a mastermind of the Digital Services Act.”
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