On Tuesday, Washington issued an entry ban against Breton, one of the driving forces behind the European Digital Services Act (DSA), and four representatives of NGOs committed to combating disinformation and hate speech online. According to the U.S. government, they are “censoring” American companies.
“The European Union is an open, rules-based internal market, with the sovereign right to regulate economic activities in accordance with our democratic values and international obligations,” the Commission responded a day later in a statement.
The Commission has asked the U.S. authorities for “clarifications.” “If necessary, we will respond quickly and decisively to defend our regulatory autonomy against unjustified measures,” warns the EU’s executive body.
And the Commission recalls that freedom of expression “is a fundamental right in Europe and a shared core value with the United States.” It points out that its digital rules “ensure a safe, fair and level playing field for all companies, applied in a fair and non-discriminatory manner.”
Several European countries, including France, the home country of Breton, condemned the decision. For example, French President Emmanuel Macron stated on X that Europeans will continue to defend their “digital sovereignty” and “regulatory autonomy.” In Germany, where HateAid directors Josephine Ballon and Anna-Lena von Hodenberg, who are also affected by the entry ban, come from, it was said that Washington’s measures “show that civic engagement is uncomfortable for powerful platforms.”
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot reacted “appalled” on Wednesday. “This European legislation, which is supported by all member states, is not an act of hostility towards the U.S.,” he said. According to him, the law must ensure that the same standards of safety and dignity apply online as in real life. “It is unacceptable to sanction individuals on the basis of economic frustrations in the U.S.,” the minister believes. Prévot stressed that the European Union will retain “the sovereign right” to “uphold its values and protect its citizens.”
(Brussels, 24 December 2025)
