The European Commission has unveiled the European Democracy Shield, a new initiative to strengthen EU democracies and counter foreign disinformation.
According to a statement, the package of reforms aims to promote citizen engagement and societal adaptability while guarding important foundations of the republic, such as free and fair choices, independent media, and a thriving civil society.
"Democracy is the foundation of our freedom, prosperity, and security. The European Democracy Shield will reinforce the core elements that allow citizens to live our shared democratic values every day,"
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
The establishment of a European Center for Democratic Resilience, which would integrate coffers and experience from EU agencies and member countries to identify and address troubles like foreign media manipulation and hindrance, is a crucial element of the program.
Also, the center will produce a Stakeholder Platform to involve fact- checkers, intelligencers, experimenters, and civil society in the fight against misinformation.
The commission intends to promote situational mindfulness of online information during choices and extremities, strengthen digital knowledge, and give a frame for EU citizenship capability under the guard.
Additionally, it will promote independent media through a new Media Resilience Program and establish rules for the responsible application of AI in election processes.
"Liberal democracy is under attack. We see campaigns - including by Russia - specifically designed to polarize our citizens, undermine trust in our institutions and pollute politics in our countries,"
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said, adding that the new initiative "is part of Europe's response to protect the ingredients of our democracies."
How will the Democracy Shield affect national election laws?
The EU’s cooperation network on choices is reviewing member countries' electoral laws to determine whether they remain fit to address ultramodern pitfalls like intimation and foreign hindrance. This can lead to recommendations or conditions to modernize laws to strengthen election integrity.
The Shield supports perpetration and enforcement of EU-wide legislation similar as the Digital Services Act (DSA), the Regulation on Political Advertising, and the European Media Freedom Act. These laws affect public crusade finance rules, political advertising translucency, and digital platform liabilities in choices.
Proffers include transubstantiating the European Cooperation Network on choices into an EU agency that could oversee election observation and compliance across member countries. This may push for further invariant norms and monitoring of public choices.