{"id":652982,"date":"2025-12-24T20:46:16","date_gmt":"2025-12-24T20:46:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/652982\/"},"modified":"2025-12-24T20:46:16","modified_gmt":"2025-12-24T20:46:16","slug":"europes-leaders-condemn-us-visa-restrictions-on-5-european-figures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/652982\/","title":{"rendered":"Europe’s leaders condemn US visa restrictions on 5 European figures"},"content":{"rendered":"

GENEVA<\/strong> <\/p>\n

European leaders, institutions, and senior officials on Wednesday sharply criticized US visa restrictions imposed on five European figures, including former European Commissioner Thierry Breton, denouncing the measures as intimidation and an attack on Europe\u2019s right to regulate its digital space.<\/p>\n

The visa restrictions were announced Tuesday by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who accused the individuals of leading organized efforts to coerce platforms into censoring \u201cAmerican viewpoints.\u201d<\/p>\n

French President Emmanuel Macron said the restrictions amounted to \u201cintimidation and coercion\u201d aimed at undermining Europe\u2019s digital sovereignty.<\/p>\n

He stressed that the EU\u2019s digital rules were adopted through a \u201cdemocratic and sovereign process\u201d by the European Parliament and the Council and apply only within Europe. \u201cThe rules governing the European Union\u2019s digital space are not meant to be determined outside Europe,\u201d Macron said.<\/p>\n

The president also said through US social media company X that he had spoken directly with Breton: \u201cI have just spoken with Thierry Breton and thanked him for his significant contributions in the service of Europe. We will stand firm against pressure and will protect Europeans.\u201d<\/p>\n

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said France \u201cstrongly condemns\u201d the visa restrictions, insisting that the Digital Services Act (DSA) was \u201cdemocratically adopted\u201d and has \u201cabsolutely no extraterritorial reach.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe peoples of Europe are free and sovereign and cannot let the rules governing their digital space be imposed by others upon them,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

The European Commission also \u201cstrongly condemned\u201d the US decision, describing freedom of expression as a \u201cfundamental European right and a shared core value with the United States.\u201d The commission said the EU is an open, rules-based single market with the sovereign authority to regulate economic activity, and warned it would respond \u201cswiftly and decisively\u201d if needed to defend its regulatory autonomy.<\/p>\n

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, for his part, criticized the entry bans affecting the managing directors of HateAid, saying the DSA ensures \u201cthat everything that is illegal offline is also illegal online\u201d and was democratically adopted without extraterritorial effect.<\/p>\n

German NGO HateAid’s two executives, Josephine Ballon and Anna-Lena von Hodenberg, described the move as \u201can act of repression,\u201d while German Parliament Vice President Omid Nouripour called for the \u201cimmediate summoning of the charge d’affaires of the US Embassy.\u201d<\/p>\n

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said imposing a travel ban on officials for doing their job was “unacceptable” and should be “rescinded quickly.”<\/p>\n

Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said Belgium was dismayed by the restrictions, calling sanctions based on \u201ceconomic frustration experienced in the US\u201d unacceptable and stressing that Europe would retain the sovereign right to protect its values.<\/p>\n

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the decision was \u201cunacceptable and an attempt to challenge our sovereignty,\u201d adding that Europe would continue defending freedom of expression and fair digital rules.<\/p>\n

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said freedom of speech is \u201cthe foundation of our strong and vibrant European democracy,\u201d adding: \u201cWe are proud of it. We will protect it.\u201d<\/p>\n


\n
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