The European Commission strongly condemns the US decision to impose a visa ban on five European individuals, including former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton, its spokesperson said today, quoted by Reuters, BTA reported. He added that the EU had requested clarification from the US authorities.
"If necessary, we will react quickly and decisively to defend our regulatory autonomy against unjustified measures," the spokesman stressed.
French President Emmanuel Macron also criticized the United States' decision to impose a visa ban on former European Commissioner Thierry Breton and other anti-disinformation activists.
"France condemns the visa restrictions taken by the United States against Thierry Breton and four other European individuals. These measures constitute a threat and coercion aimed at undermining European digital sovereignty," Macron wrote on the social network "Ex".
"Together with the European Commission and our European partners, we will continue to defend our digital sovereignty and our regulatory autonomy," he added.
The German government has joined the chorus of criticism against the sanctions imposed by the US against the leaders of "HateAid" - a German organization that supports victims of online hatred, reported Agence France-Presse.
Yesterday, the Trump administration imposed a travel ban on the managing directors of "HateAid" Josephine Ballon and Anna-Lena von Hodenberg, as well as three other Europeans, accusing them of censorship of online platforms based in the United States.
"Hate Aid", which was founded in 2018, is considered the first national counseling center for people affected by online harassment. In October, von Hodenberg was awarded Germany's Federal Order of Merit in recognition of her work against digital violence, DPA reported.
"Hate Aid" supports victims of illegal digital hate speech. The organization makes an important contribution to ensuring the protection of personal rights in the digital sphere," said German Justice Minister Stefanie Hubich.
"Anyone who calls this censorship is misrepresenting our constitutional system," she added.
Hubich stressed that "Hate Aid" supports the victims, but cannot itself prohibit the expression of an opinion.
"The rules by which we want to live in the digital sphere in Germany and Europe are not determined in Washington," Hubich stressed.
In a rebuke to the big American technology companies, she added that the measures taken by Washington "show that civil society engagement is inconvenient for powerful platforms.".
The managing directors of "Hate Aid" "have our support and solidarity", she said.
Ballon and von Hodenberg called the US decision an "act of repression".
The entry ban also affected former French European Commissioner Thierry Breton, one of the architects of the EU's Digital Services Act, which regulates online platforms.
Imran Ahmed, founder of the US/UK Center for Countering Digital Hate, and Claire Melford, founder of the UK-based Global Disinformation Index, were also sanctioned.
German Foreign Minister Johann Vaddeful criticized the US entry ban as unacceptable. Citing the Digital Services Act, Vaddeful said the legislation ensures that "everything that is illegal offline is also illegal online". The Digital Services Act was democratically adopted by the European Union for implementation within the bloc and has no extraterritorial effect, he wrote in "Ex".
European Council President Antonio Costa said on Monday that the US travel ban on five European citizens, including former Commissioner Thierry Breton, "is unacceptable between allies, partners and friends", Reuters reported.
"The EU firmly defends freedom of expression, fair rules in the digital sphere and its regulatory sovereignty," Costa wrote in an article in "Ex".