EU warns of response after US bars 5 Europeans over censorship claims

AP :

The European Union has warned it may take action against what it called “unjustified measures” after the United States barred five European nationals accused of pressuring US technology companies to censor American viewpoints.

The warning came Wednesday from the European Commission after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced travel restrictions against the five, whom he described as “radical” activists linked to “weaponized” nongovernmental organisations. Among them is former EU commissioner Thierry Breton, who previously oversaw Europe’s digital and social media regulations.

Breton, a former French finance minister, clashed publicly last year with tech billionaire Elon Musk over content moderation and an online interview with Donald Trump ahead of the US election.
In a statement, the European Commission strongly condemned the US decision, said it had sought clarification, and stressed it would act “swiftly and decisively” if necessary to protect the EU’s regulatory independence. French President Emmanuel Macron also criticised the move, calling it an attempt to intimidate Europe and undermine its digital sovereignty.

Rubio said on social media that European ideologues had long tried to coerce American platforms into suppressing views they oppose, adding that the Trump administration would no longer tolerate what it called “extraterritorial censorship.”
The Commission countered that the EU has the sovereign right to regulate its digital market in line with democratic values, insisting its rules ensure fair competition and user safety without discrimination or targeting any country.