Ribera cites US visa sanctions as case for EU tech sovereignty

EU competition chief Teresa Ribera has pointed to US visa restrictions imposed on European Commission officials, including former commissioner Thierry Breton, as a case for European digital sovereignty.

Speaking at a European Parliament event on Tuesday, Ribera said the EU cannot “normalise” threats of US sanctions for enforcing EU digital rules and must “develop our own capacities.”

“We cannot allow someone to try to influence our own decisions, our own values, our own well-functioning economy and services,” Ribera also warned.

Her comments came in defence of the EU’s digital rulebook – including the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA) – especially in light of ongoing pushback from the Trump administration and US big tech companies.

Ribera argued for greater European tech sovereignty as the bloc prepares a package of measures aimed at boosting European tech production, particularly in chips and AI, at the end of May.

In her remarks, she said the goal was to “reduce pressure” from foreign companies operating outside Europe or companies “not complying with our rules.”

However, Ribera added that the EU had “the right to defend rules” that “guide our digital society to function,” while acknowledging the financial and technical complexities involved in reducing dependence on foreign technologies.

(aw)