EU stalls investigation into Elon Musk’s X amid US trade talks

The European Commission has delayed the conclusion of a key investigation into Elon Musk’s social media platform X, as EU officials seek to avoid tensions while finalising trade negotiations with the United States.

The probe, launched under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), was initially expected to wrap up before the bloc’s summer recess. However, three EU officials familiar with the matter confirmed the decision has been postponed, with a final ruling now likely to come after progress is made in the ongoing EU-US trade talks. “It’s all tied up,” one official said, indicating a direct link between the investigation and broader transatlantic negotiations, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The DSA, which came into effect in 2023, imposes strict transparency and content moderation requirements on major digital platforms operating in the EU. Brussels has several open investigations into X under these rules, including concerns over deceptive interface design and lack of access to platform data for regulators and researchers.

While the Commission previously found that X had preliminarily violated the DSA’s transparency obligations, the current delay reflects growing pressure from Washington. The Trump administration, which has aligned itself with the MAGA movement’s free speech agenda, has accused the EU of disproportionately targeting American tech firms and undermining fundamental freedoms.

Under the DSA, the European Commission can levy fines of up to 6% of a company’s annual global revenue for serious breaches. However, insiders suggest that any penalty imposed on X is likely to fall below that maximum threshold.

By Vugar Khalilov