Commission slams US censorship attacks on EU tech laws as 'nonsense'
Commission spokesperson signals an exasperated change of tone in Brussels after repeated US attacks on the EU's digital rulebook
The Commission’s spokesperson for digital matters signalled a change of tone in Brussels today, publicly attacking the Trump administration for repeatedly targeting the bloc’s digital laws with “nonsense” claims of censorship.Â
Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier made the remarks the day after the US announced a public House of Representatives’ hearing, scheduled for next Wednesday, which is entitled “Europe’s threat to American speech and innovation”.
The hearing takes aim at several European digital laws, including the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act.
“I have no comment to make on the [US] public hearing,” Regnier told journalists during a briefing in Brussels on Thursday. “These censorship allegations are nonsense. They are completely unfounded and they are completely wrong.”
UK far right member of parliament, Nigel Farage – the former MEP who championed Brexit – has been announced as a “witness”. Former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton has also been invited to testify but cannot do so without the Commission’s approval.
Regnier focused on talking up the anti-censorship credentials of the bloc’s DSA, suggesting social media platforms find it harder to take down, remove or downgrade the visibility of content posted online by European citizens thanks to the law.
He cited an example involving social media giants Meta (which owns Instagram and Facebook) and TikTok – saying that, in the second half of 2024, EU users challenged more than 16 million content removal decisions taken by the two platforms.
“Almost 35% of these removals were unjustified and therefore overturned and restored,” he went on, adding that this was: “Thanks to the DSA – because the DSA precisely provides a mechanism to fight back against these [platform] decisions.”
The EU’s spokesperson also stressed that there’s real work to be done on both sides of the Atlantic when it comes to making the internet safer for children and combating online terrorism. “Let’s focus on real things that are happening in the online world,” he added.
Breton is a no-show
On Breton, Regnier pointed out that, as a former Commissioner, he would need the Commission’s authorisation to participate in the US hearing.
The Commission is “aware of the invitation”, he noted, adding that, in accordance with EU treaties, “former Commissioners are required not to disclose information covered by the obligation of professional secrecy.”
The Commission also confirmed that the current Tech Commissioner, Henna Virkkunen, was not invited to the US hearing.
(nl)
