Europe Asia News

Nadgey Fones, spokesperson for the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, said, “Government officials — whether in the United States, the European Union, or elsewhere — serve the public and must be accountable to it.”

Fones stated that European Commission officials insist on anonymity for themselves while pursuing policies that would eliminate online anonymity for users inside and outside Europe.

The committee, chaired by Ohio Republican Representative Jim Jordan, accused the European Commission in a report published in February of interfering in U.S. elections and censoring the freedom of speech of both EU and U.S. citizens through the Digital Services Act.

The report contained approximately 3,000 pages of evidence and covered communications among officials, civil society, and industry employees. It included information from which the names and email addresses of around 20 Commission staff members could be derived, while the names of employees at major technology companies were largely redacted.

The move was described in Brussels as an attempt to intimidate officials working on the enforcement of digital rules. Prabhat Agarwal, head of the European Commission’s platform law enforcement team, told a conference audience of officials and civil society representatives on Monday, “Do not be afraid.”

In 2023, the Commission stopped publishing the names of lower-level officials and instead decided to disclose only the names of senior staff. The stated reason was to prevent undue influence in the policymaking process and pressure on those working on sensitive issues.

Responding to a question about the publication of the names on February 6, Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said the Commission had given companies the opportunity to redact sensitive information before publication and that “both sides must act in due process.”

“The names of many officials working on this file have been made public,” Regnier said, adding that the Commission would protect its staff, including through legal or financial assistance.