EU resists renewed Trump pressure to shift digital rules
Reuters reported on Wednesday that a memo signed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, warned that the EU was pursuing "undue" restrictions on freedom of expression in its efforts to combat hate speech and disinformation.
It warned against the Digital Services Act (DSA) – online platform rules in place from late 2023 with the aim to curb illegal content and products online.
A spokesperson for the Commission told Euronews in response that 'our EU regulations and standards were never up for discussion, and this will not change.'
'We firmly rebut any censorship claims. The censorship allegations relative to the DSA are completely unfounded. Freedom of expression is a fundamental right in the EU,' the spokesperson added.
EU rules have been the subject of several attacks since Trump came to power in January. Not only by government officials, but also by the Big Tech companies themselves.
In April, the Commission reiterated it will not make any concessions on its digital and technology rules as part of any trade negotiations with the United States after a senior advisor of Trump openly accused the bloc of waging "lawfare" against the country's Big Tech companies.
EU Tech Commissioner Henna Virkkunen told Euronews in April: "Our rules are very fair, because they are the same rules for everybody who is operating and doing business in the European Union. So, we have the same rules for European companies, American companies, and Chinese companies.'
The EU executive has begun a number of probes into companies - including American ones – for suspected breaches of the DSA, and the Digital Markets Act, online competition rules.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LeMonde
22 minutes ago
- LeMonde
International backlash grows over Israel's Gaza City offensive plans
Nations around the world on Friday, August 8, expressed concern over Israeli plans to wrest control of Gaza City, saying that it would only worsen the conflict and lead to more bloodshed. Germany was among those nations. According to Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the country will halt the export of military equipment to Israel that could be used in the Gaza Strip. The decision marks a major change of course for the German government, which has been one of Israel's staunchest international allies. Merz said it was "increasingly difficult to understand" how the Israeli military plan would help achieve the legitimate aims of disarming Hamas and freeing the hostages. "Under these circumstances, the German government will not authorize any exports of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice," he said in a statement. UN human rights chief Volker Turk said the plan must be "immediately halted." He said that Israel should instead allow "the full, unfettered flow of humanitarian aid" and Palestinian armed groups must unconditionally release hostages. In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the plan was "wrong" and added that "this action will do nothing to bring an end to this conflict or to help secure the release of the hostages" but would "only bring more bloodshed." 'Immediate ceasefire' Chinese representatives also weighed in on the Israeli army's announcement. "Gaza belongs to the Palestinian people and is an inseparable part of Palestinian territory," a foreign ministry spokesperson told Agence France-Presse in a message. "The correct way to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to secure the release of hostages is an immediate ceasefire," they added. Turkey urged global pressure to halt the plan. "We call on the international community to fulfill its responsibilities to prevent the implementation of this decision, which aims to forcibly displace Palestinians from their own land," the foreign ministry said in a statement. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said: "We firmly condemn the decision of the Israeli government to escalate the military occupation of Gaza. It will only cause more destruction and suffering." He added that "a permanent ceasefire, the immediate and massive entry of humanitarian aid, and the release of all hostages are urgently needed."
Local France
23 minutes ago
- Local France
France strikes down return of banned bee-killing pesticide
The decision infuriated farmers and France's far right and conservative parties but was welcomed by environmentalists and left-wing parties. The law would have permitted the return of acetamiprid – a chemical known to be toxic to bees and other creatures but relied on by some European farmers. A petition against the bill garnered more than 2.1 million signatures after lawmakers adopted it on July 8th. Critics said it was rushed through parliament's lower chamber without a proper debate. The Constitutional Council said in its ruling that a provision in the bill allowing exemptions to the ban of products containing neonicotinoid chemicals such as acetamiprid would violate France's environmental charter, which has constitutional status. In 2020, the council had granted a temporary exemption to the ban, limited to the beet and nut sectors which suffer most from the insects that acetamiprid acts against. But the ruling said the legislature had undermined 'the right to live in a balanced and healthy environment' enshrined in the environmental charter. 'Neonicotinoids have an impact on biodiversity, in particular on pollinating insects and birds, as well as consequences for water and soil quality, and pose risks to human health,' the council said. The council did approve two other measures in the law: one allowing for the construction of water storage for agricultural purposes, and another raising thresholds at which pig and poultry farms require prior authorisation. President Emmanuel Macron took 'note' of the ruling and will enact the law in a form that takes the ruling into account, his office said. But the main farmers' union, the FNSEA, slammed the decision as 'unacceptable and incomprehensible'. Advertisement Laurent Duplomb, the conservative deputy who introduced the law, said it would mean more imports of products containing acetamiprid and reduced French production. Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard, who supported the reintroduction of acetamiprid, said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that the government would not leave the sectors affected 'without a solution'. Marine Le Pen, the leading figure in the far-right Rassemblement National, said the court's judges had 'behaved like a legislature while they have no democratic legitimacy'. 'The level of interference of constitutional judges is becoming a real problem for our democracy,' said Laurent Wauquiez, parliamentary head of the conservative Les Républicains. Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure, however, called the decision a 'victory for ecology'. Banned in France since 2018, acetamiprid remains legal in the European Union, and proponents said that some French farmers needed it to help them compete economically. Advertisement The insecticide is particularly sought after by beet and hazelnut growers, who say that they have no alternative against pests and face unfair competition. A petition on France's lower-house National Assembly's website called the measure an 'attack on public health'. And beekeepers have described the chemical as 'a bee killer'. Its potential effect on humans is also a source of concern, though the risks remain unclear in the absence of large-scale studies. For some opponents, frustration stretched beyond environmental and health concerns to exasperation over the country's political deadlock. One supporter of the petition against the law called it 'democratic revenge' after Macron forced a controversial pension reform through parliament in 2023 and dissolved the national assembly last year, sparking political turmoil that resulted in a hung parliament. In June, before the law's passage, several thousand demonstrators — including some farmers, environmental organisations and scientists – rallied across France calling for the bill to be withdrawn.
Euronews
an hour ago
- Euronews
Landmark EU media law enters into force to protect journalism
The EU's landmark Media Freedom Act (EMFA) entered into force today, with the aim of providing better protection for the press and making media ownership more transparent. The law will also limit the use of spyware against journalists, enhance the transparency of state advertising, and strengthen the independence of public media. The new rules also increase protection for journalists and for their sources. Social media platforms should also refrain from arbitrarily deleting or restricting content from independent media. The law was drafted by the European Commission and supported overwhelmingly by the European Parliament's plenary vote in 2024. "With the European Media Freedom Act entering into application, media and journalists across the EU gain unprecedented safeguards, and citizens can trust that the news they receive is driven by facts, not by business or political agenda,' - Michael McGrath,** Commissioner for Democracy, Justice and the Rule of Law, said. 'The entry into application of the EMFA is a landmark for press freedom in the EU. But its true value will be measured in action, not words. Now begins the real work: ensuring every member state implements the EMFA fully and faithfully. Media freedom is not negotiable - it is the backbone of our democracy,' said Sabine Veheyen, a German EPP MEP, who chairs Parliament's working group scrutinising the law's implementation. Nela Riehl, a German MEP from the Greens/EFA group and the chair of the Committee on Culture and Education, said member states should adhere to the rules. 'With the Media Freedom Act, Europe has set the benchmark for the protection of press freedom and journalistic work. This is a great achievement. But it is only meaningful if we adhere to it. I am looking with concern at the decline in press freedom in different parts of Europe and call on all member states to implement it dutifully.' The European Commission proposed the new rules as media freedom has declined in many member states. Recent EU Rule of Law Reports have highlighted ongoing concerns about media freedom and pluralism across the EU, noting a worrying decline in media freedom and safety of journalists in some member states, notably in Hungary, Poland and Greece. Investigative journalists Daphne Caruana Galizia in Malta and Ján Kuciak in Slovakia have been assassinated because of their work. According to the new rules, governments could only use spyware on journalists as a last resort, if national security is in danger. Earlier, both Hungary and Poland allegedly used Pegasus spyware on journalists. A new EU body, called the European Board for Media Services, will oversee the implementation of the laws. The Media Freedom Act is the first-ever EU regulation related to the press.
