[By Guancha Observer, Shao Yun] On April 14th, the Financial Times of Britain revealed that due to "concerns about the infiltration of American systems into internal committee systems," the European Commission is issuing disposable mobile phones and basic laptops to four commissioners who are about to travel to the US next week. The report suggests that this approach of viewing the US as a potential security threat highlights the deterioration of transatlantic relations since Trump returned to the White House in January.

On Monday (April 21st), Commissioner Šefčovič of the European Commission will visit Washington DC to meet with US Commerce Secretary Rettnek and Trade Representative Griller to discuss tariff issues. From April 21st to 26th, Commissioner Dombrovskis of Economic Affairs, Commissioner Gentiloni of Financial Services, and Commissioner Sikkut of International Cooperation will also attend the Spring Meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Washington.

The report cited four sources as saying that all these senior EU officials have received updated security guidelines requiring them to use disposable mobile phones and basic laptops while in the US. One official said, “The Commission is concerned that the US may infiltrate our internal systems.”

In response, the report stated that the European Commission confirmed it has updated its safety advice for trips to the US, which includes instructions for officials to turn off their phones at the border and place them in special protective covers to prevent unauthorized surveillance. However, the Commission stated that no specific written instructions regarding the use of disposable phones have been issued.

According to the sources, this measure of prohibiting officials from bringing regular communication devices into the country was previously only used against China and Russia, but now it’s being applied to the US as well. The report noted that this reflects the deterioration of transatlantic relations since President Trump began his second term in January. A European official commented, “The transatlantic alliance is over.”

Travelers queuing for customs at Houston Intercontinental Airport, The Guardian of Britain

As of publication time, in response to the爆料 by British media, the White House and the National Security Council have not yet responded.

The Financial Times pointed out that currently, the EU and the US are negotiating on multiple sensitive topics, and either side has an incentive to obtain information from the other. For instance, to counter Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs, the EU previously approved retaliatory tariffs of 25% on $21 billion worth of American products. Following Trump's announcement on April 9th to delay the implementation of so-called "reciprocal tariffs," the EU also postponed the implementation of its tariff measures by 90 days for negotiations.

Luuk van Middelaar, director of the Brussels Institute for Geopolitics (BIG), found this suggestion unsurprising. He mentioned that as early as during the Obama administration in 2013, it was revealed that the US had secretly monitored the cell phone of former German Chancellor Merkel for more than a decade. “It is an opponent that uses extrajudicial means to pursue its own interests and power,” van Middelaar said. “This move by the Commission is accepting reality.”

It is worth noting that just last March, a French scientist was denied entry to the US when attending a conference there. This happened because US immigration officials found chat records critical of the Trump administration on his phone during inspection. AFP reported that US officials considered these messages "could be classified as terrorism," leading to the FBI once getting involved in the investigation, though the related charges have since been dropped.

This scientist's experience is not isolated. The Financial Times previously noted that after Trump took office, he tightened immigration and entry policies, resulting in many tourists from Europe and Canada facing hostility from US border guards upon entry. Currently, several European countries including the UK, Germany, and Denmark have updated their travel warnings to address this change.

It is known that the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has always had precedents for searching travelers' phones, computers, cameras, or other electronic devices. However, Cindy Switzer, an immigration lawyer practicing in both the US and Canada, said based on her experience, border inspection personnel previously only exercised this power against suspected criminals such as drug smugglers. Recently, however, such inspections seem to have expanded to random checks on anyone entering the US.

For this, Switzer suggested that recent travelers to the US should consider carrying backup phones, or restoring their main phones to factory settings before entering the US, thoroughly cleaning them, and not installing social software, email, or communication applications. She also advised disabling cloud synchronization functions. When deleting files, ensure secure deletion methods are used and empty the recycle bin. Additionally, thoroughly clear search engine traces.

Due to Trump's border policies, many Europeans have developed "negative feelings" toward traveling to the US. Data from the US International Trade Administration shows that the total number of overseas visitors to the US fell by 12% in March compared to the same period last year, marking the largest drop since March 2021 when tourism struggled due to pandemic restrictions. Meanwhile, the number of Western European tourists staying overnight in the US decreased by 17% year-over-year. Among them, tourist numbers from some countries such as Ireland, Norway, and Germany fell by more than 20%.

This article is an exclusive contribution by the Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7493341865303966246/

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