In a message posted on X on Wednesday 27 August, the US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee announced that it would be holding a hearing on Wednesday 3 September on the subject of “The European threat to American freedom of expression and innovation”.
This hearing follows the publication of a report in July, which described the European Digital Services Act (DSA) as a “global censorship regime”. “The DSA is being used to censor political speech, including humour and satire”, claims the report, in line with recent US statements on European regulation (see EUROPE 13695/1).
Former commissioner Thierry Breton, who spearheaded the introduction of three major pieces of digital legislation (DMA, DSA, AI Act) within the previous European Commission, has been called as a guest witness for the hearing, although his presence there has not yet been confirmed.
The European Commission continues to stand united behind its legislative arsenal: claims that the DSA is a censorship tool are untrue, said Thomas Regnier, spokesman for the Commission, earlier this week.
When asked about the invitation issued to the former Commissioner, the European Commission stated that he no longer represented the institution, and that he remained bound by secrecy regarding the details of the legislation.
See the report by the Judiciary Committee: https://aeur.eu/f/i61 (Original version in French by Isalia Stieffatre)