French president Emmanuel Macron sharply criticised Washington on 24 December after the United States imposed visa bans on former European Commissioner Thierry Breton and four other France-based experts who helped draft the EU’s landmark anti-disinformation code. Macron wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that the move amounted to “intimidation and coercion” and vowed that France and the wider European Union would not allow a foreign power to dictate who may shape Europe’s digital rules.
The U.S. State Department invoked Section 7031(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act, normally reserved for corruption and human-rights cases, to deny entry to Breton and his colleagues. The unprecedented step appears to be retaliation for Brussels’ Digital Services Act, which obliges large social-media platforms to police false information and opens them to heavy fines. Paris sees the ban as a direct attack on EU regulatory autonomy and on French leadership within the bloc’s tech-policy agenda.
Breton, an influential figure in French politics and former CEO of technology giant Atos, has been a frequent target of U.S. tech-lobby criticism. Visa bans would bar him and the other experts from entering the United States for business meetings, conferences or board sessions—an obstacle for French multinationals that rely on trans-Atlantic travel to coordinate digital-compliance projects.
![Macron Condemns U.S. Visa Bans on Former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton and Four French Experts]()
In light of such sudden restrictions, companies and citizens often turn to professional visa services for guidance. VisaHQ, through its France-focused platform (https://www.visahq.com/france/), can help organisations evaluate alternative travel options, secure necessary documentation, and stay abreast of rapidly changing U.S. entry requirements. By streamlining paperwork and advising on contingency routes, VisaHQ enables teams to keep critical projects on track despite geopolitical headwinds.
In practical terms, affected companies must now reassess travel plans, remote-work solutions and possible visa-waiver exceptions for American subsidiaries. Mobility managers should audit any U.S. itineraries involving the five individuals and consider moving meetings to neutral locations such as Dublin or Paris. The episode underlines how geopolitical frictions can suddenly restrict highly skilled travellers, creating knock-on effects for corporate compliance and cross-border projects.
Diplomatically, Paris has demanded an explanation from Washington and hinted at reciprocal measures if the bans are not lifted. EU officials are expected to raise the matter at the next Trade and Technology Council meeting in February 2026.
The U.S. State Department invoked Section 7031(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act, normally reserved for corruption and human-rights cases, to deny entry to Breton and his colleagues. The unprecedented step appears to be retaliation for Brussels’ Digital Services Act, which obliges large social-media platforms to police false information and opens them to heavy fines. Paris sees the ban as a direct attack on EU regulatory autonomy and on French leadership within the bloc’s tech-policy agenda.
Breton, an influential figure in French politics and former CEO of technology giant Atos, has been a frequent target of U.S. tech-lobby criticism. Visa bans would bar him and the other experts from entering the United States for business meetings, conferences or board sessions—an obstacle for French multinationals that rely on trans-Atlantic travel to coordinate digital-compliance projects.
In light of such sudden restrictions, companies and citizens often turn to professional visa services for guidance. VisaHQ, through its France-focused platform (https://www.visahq.com/france/), can help organisations evaluate alternative travel options, secure necessary documentation, and stay abreast of rapidly changing U.S. entry requirements. By streamlining paperwork and advising on contingency routes, VisaHQ enables teams to keep critical projects on track despite geopolitical headwinds.
In practical terms, affected companies must now reassess travel plans, remote-work solutions and possible visa-waiver exceptions for American subsidiaries. Mobility managers should audit any U.S. itineraries involving the five individuals and consider moving meetings to neutral locations such as Dublin or Paris. The episode underlines how geopolitical frictions can suddenly restrict highly skilled travellers, creating knock-on effects for corporate compliance and cross-border projects.
Diplomatically, Paris has demanded an explanation from Washington and hinted at reciprocal measures if the bans are not lifted. EU officials are expected to raise the matter at the next Trade and Technology Council meeting in February 2026.
