ISTANBUL
French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday condemned visa restriction measures imposed by the US on former EU commissioner Thierry Breton and four other European figures, calling them acts of “intimidation and coercion."
"France condemns the visa restriction measures taken by the United States against Thierry Breton and four other European figures. These measures amount to intimidation and coercion aimed at undermining European digital sovereignty," Macron said on US social media company X.
Macron stressed that the EU’s digital rules were adopted through a "democratic and sovereign process" by the European Parliament and the Council, and apply within Europe to ensure fair competition among digital platforms.
He said the regulations do not target any third country and are designed to ensure that what is illegal offline is also illegal online.
“The rules governing the European Union’s digital space are not meant to be determined outside Europe,” Macron said.
France, he added, will continue to stand alongside the European Commission and European partners to defend the bloc’s digital sovereignty and regulatory autonomy.
The US imposed visa restrictions on five individuals accused of leading organized efforts to coerce platforms into censoring "American viewpoints," Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Tuesday.