 "European Union flags flutter outside the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, File Photo- Reuters")
Amid escalating security concerns and deteriorating transatlantic ties, the European Commission has started issuing burner phones and basic laptops to officials traveling to the United States, a precautionary measure traditionally reserved for visits to China and Ukraine.
According to the Financial Times report, the Commission’s new guidance targets senior officials attending the upcoming IMF and World Bank spring meetings in Washington, with instructions to avoid bringing standard IT equipment due to fears of potential US surveillance.
Officials have also been advised to switch off mobile phones at the border and use protective sleeves to guard against electronic spying, it said.
Since Donald Trump assumed the US presidency, a dramatic shift in foreign policy has emerged. His administration has reinstated hard-line trade measures—such as imposing fresh tariffs on European Union exports—while simultaneously extending diplomatic overtures to Moscow.
Trump has also indicated a potential scaling back of America’s traditional security commitments to Europe, marking a stark departure from previous U.S. foreign policy norms.
Despite being long-standing allies, Brussels and Washington remain locked in tense negotiations on various fronts, including trade and technology regulation.
EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič is currently in Washington for talks with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick aimed at defusing a trade conflict over American tariffs on steel and aluminium. Although Brussels has approved retaliatory measures against €21 billion worth of US goods, it has yet to enforce them.
Tensions are also high over US criticism of EU digital policies, with American officials accusing Brussels of curbing free speech and interfering in democratic processes—claims fuelled by the EU’s recent decision to bar a Romanian presidential candidate who gained traction through TikTok.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsUS border authorities have legal powers to confiscate and search travellers’ electronic devices. There have been instances of European academics and researchers being denied entry due to social media posts or content on their devices critical of US policy.
Last month, a French researcher was turned away after expressing dissent over US research regulations.
To mitigate such risks, EU officials have been instructed to use diplomatic “laissez-passer” documents instead of their national passports when applying for US visas.