Digital sovereignty has been much discussed in Europe in recent weeks, most recently during the German-French summit in Berlin. A French judge is currently experiencing the extent of America’s dependence on the digital sector. Nicolas Guillou, one of the six judges and three prosecutors of the International Criminal Court (ICC), was sanctioned by the United States in August. In a recent interview he described his current situation as digital time travel to the 1990s, before the Internet age.
The reason for the US sanctions is the arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Galant. He was indicted for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the context of the destruction of the Gaza Strip. The US condemned the court’s decision, after which the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on six judges and three prosecutors.
Digitally excluded from almost everything
In Guillou’s daily life, this means he is excluded from digital life and what is considered standard today, he told French newspaper Le Monde. All their accounts with US companies like Amazon, Airbnb, or PayPal were immediately closed by the providers. Online bookings, such as through Expedia, are canceled instantly, even if they relate to hotels in France. Participation in e-commerce is also practically no longer possible for them, since American companies always play a role in some way or the other, and they are strictly prohibited from entering into any business relations with sanctioned persons.
He also described the impact on participation in banking as harsh. Payment systems for him are blocked, because American companies like American Express, Visa and MasterCard have a virtual monopoly in Europe. He also described remaining banking as severely restricted. For example, accounts with non-US banks have also been partially frozen. Transactions in US dollars or through dollar conversion are prohibited for him.
Judge: EU must stop sanctions
Guillou’s case shows how strong America’s influence is in the technology sector and how few options it has to escape it. And this is at a time when having an account at an American tech company is considered a natural thing in more and more places.
The French judge advocated for Europe to gain greater sovereignty in the digital and banking sectors. He warned that without this sovereignty, the rule of law cannot be guaranteed. At the same time, they called on the EU to activate the existing blocking regulation on the International Criminal Court (Regulation (EC) No 2271/96), which prevents third countries such as the United States from imposing sanctions in the EU. EU companies will not be allowed to comply with US sanctions if they violate EU interests. Companies violating this will be liable for damages.
(MKI)
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This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication.