Berlin EU Commission threatens USA over entry bans
Ursula von der Leyen's EU Commission is threatening retaliatory measures against the entry bans imposed by the US government on former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton and other Europeans. The decision by the United States is condemned in the strongest possible terms, the authority announced in Brussels. Clarifications have been requested from the US authorities. If necessary, it will react quickly and decisively to defend the right to set its own rules.
24.12.2025, 13:37
SDA
"Our digital rules ensure safe and fair competition for all companies and are applied without discrimination", the statement reads. Freedom of expression is a fundamental right in Europe and a value shared with the USA and other democracies.
The EU Commission did not initially explain exactly how it could react to the travel bans. It could, for example, propose restricting cooperation with the USA in certain areas. If the dispute escalates further, economic countermeasures cannot be ruled out.
Warning to the EU Commission?
In addition to the former EU Commissioner Breton, the entry bans imposed by the US government also affect the managing directors of the German advice center HateAid, which campaigns against Internet hate speech. They are justified on the grounds of alleged censorship of US online platforms and could also be seen as a warning to the EU Commission to continue applying European digital laws against US companies.
Breton is an architect of the EU's digital laws, which are intended to guarantee fair competition and the protection of children and democratic elections. During his term of office (2019-2024), the Frenchman also repeatedly clashed with Twitter boss Elon Musk - especially when he used his short message platform to support Donald Trump in the US presidential election campaign last year.
