Our guest in this show is known for crossing swords with the Trump administration on the regulation of big tech and, more recently, for actually coming under a US travel ban. Thierry Breton was the EU Commissioner for the Internal Market from 2019 to 2024, when he had a major role in driving forward the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act. He and four other figures were hit with US travel bans at the end of last year, prompting Breton to denounce what he called “a wind of McCarthyism blowing again”.
Breton is a former minister for the economy, finance and industry in France, and a prominent commentator on political and economic matters.
He says he “strongly believes” that an agreement will be found between the US and Iran, and that this will be in Europe‘s interest “especially because of what we see in terms of gasoline prices”.
“I say that it is totally unfair that EU member states are making money on the increase in energy prices, as most of them have a value-added tax (VAT) on that,” Breton says, pointing out that the increase in prices “is artificial”.
He goes on: “They (member states) have to give back the additional money that they make, and especially for those who need the most support and help. We can think about farmers, we can think about truck drivers, we can think about anyone who is directly impacted.”
Asked about Peter Magyar‘s stunning victory in the Hungarian election – and the ouster of Viktor Orban – Breton emphasises Magyar’s commitment to restoring the rule of law in Hungary.
“The rule of law was a big, big, issue,” Breton remarks. “The former administration under Viktor Orban did not respect the rule of law. So the good news is that Peter Magyar is willing to change this. For us, what is important is that all member states follow our rule of law, because this is what makes us stronger together, and it is definitely the core of our project.”
On the travel ban issued against him by the US authorities, Breton says: “What I understand is that I have, unfortunately, been banned or designated as the mastermind behind the Digital Services Act. You know, I just did my job. What I did was not against anyone. It’s not against China, it’s not against Singapore, it’s not against the US. This is the same for everyone. By the way, the digital act has been voted at 90 percent by our MEPs. It has been voted by 27 countries. This is not about Thierry Breton. This is about Europe. So I understand that behind my case it’s Europe, of course, which is being targeted. And I really hope that we will come back to normality because there is a huge misunderstanding about what we have done together in our own European digital space.”
This edition of Talking Europe also features a report from FRANCE 24’s Clovis Casali on the aftermath of the momentous parliamentary election in Hungary.
Programme prepared by Oihana Almandoz, Aline Bottin, Isabelle Romero and Perrine Desplats
