EU and Member States Condemn U.S. Visa Sanctions, Calling Them Coercion Against Digital Sovereignty

On December 24, 2025, the European Commission and multiple member states including France and Germany issued rare unified strong condemnation against the United States for imposing visa restrictions. The U.S. action on December 23 targeted five Europeans, including former EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton, accusing them of "unfairly regulating" U.S. tech firms. An EU Commission spokesperson stated the move was unacceptable, that clarification had been demanded from Washington, and the EU stood ready to respond swiftly and firmly to "defend regulatory autonomy".

French President Emmanuel Macron denounced the measures as "intimidation and coercion of European digital sovereignty". The move is widely seen as directly linked to the EU's hefty fine on the social media platform X under the Digital Services Act earlier in the month, highlighting deep transatlantic friction over who sets digital rules.