On November 12th, the European Commission issued a Joint Communication on the European Democracy Shield (EDS), outlining the EU’s strategy to protect and uphold its fundamental value of democracy amid rising threats (1)(2). The rapid pace of digital advancements has revealed key vulnerabilities, making an EU-level strategic and sustained response urgent (3). Foreign information manipulation, interference, and disinformation were recognized as active threats to EU democracies and elections (3). The EDS is a roadmap with concrete measures to protect democracy from malicious interference, whether from outside or within the EU (1). The EDS calls for greater internal response to these threats, paving the way for stronger, more resilient democracies across the alliance (3). As Ursula von der Leyen put it: “The European Democracy Shield will reinforce the core elements that allow citizens to live our shared democratic values every day - free speech, independent media, resilient institutions, and a vibrant civil society.” (3).
The Common Threat
The Commission has highlighted attempts by authoritarian regimes to exploit EU vulnerabilities, creating divisions and fostering mistrust among the EU population (3). Coupled with declining public trust and reduced civic participation, the Commission recognised the necessity of a strong response at the EU level to prevent this issue from continuing to spread (3). The European Commission’s official press communication on the EDS refers to broad cross-border information operations, refraining from explicitly mentioning Russia (3). However, this initiative is widely recognised as a strategy countering Russia and its proxies (state or non-state), as a result of their decade-long campaigns to destabilise EU democracies, primarily through misinformation online (1). The development of new technologies, such as deepfakes, amplifies the effects of misinformation, taking a toll on democratic processes (1). In Romania, the 2024 Presidential elections were moved after intelligence services detected a Russian propaganda campaign that heavily influenced voters. And in September, Moldova’s elections faced a massive disinformation campaign, with bots flooding comments with anti-pro-European remarks (1).
The Shield's Pillars
The European Commission calls for a stronger internal response to anti-democratic hybrid campaigns, foreign interference, and the spread of disinformation (3). The EDS is a framework that facilitates capacity-building and information-sharing (3). A key takeaway from the proposed measures is the creation of a European Centre for Democratic Resilience by 2027 (2). The centre would compile the expertise and resources of Member States to increase the EU’s capacity to anticipate, detect and respond to threats. It would also facilitate dialogue among Member States and key stakeholders, including civil society, researchers, academia, fact-checkers, and media organisations. These processes would be supported by the Rapid Alert System run by the European External Action Service (3).
To safeguard the integrity of information, the Commission is preparing an incident and crisis protocol for the Digital Services Act that ensures a rapid response to threatening information operations. It will also establish an independent European Network of Fact-Checkers and a European Digital Media Observatory that provides independent monitoring and analysis of information during election periods or crises (3). The Shield aims to strengthen democratic institutions through a European Cooperation Network on Elections, where Member States will collaborate to address common challenges in domestic elections. The Commission will issue guidance on the responsible use of AI in electoral processes. The strategy also safeguards free and independent media, prepares a guide to best practices for the safety of political actors to prevent further political violence, and updates existing frameworks to preserve journalists' safety. A Media Resilience Programme will provide financial support to preserve independent journalism (3).
To boost societal resistance, the Commission will launch a program to improve digital literacy across all ages, strengthen citizenship education in schools, and boost digital civic participation through a new civic-tech hub. They will issue an EU democracy guide to increase awareness of citizens’ rights under EU law and a Recommendation on supporting scientific evidence in policymaking to promote evidence-based decision-making. Alongside the EDS, the Commission also prepared the EU Strategy for Civil Society, which supports and protects civil society organisations that play key roles in democratic processes. The Commission plans to establish a new Civil Society Platform by 2026, as well as an online Knowledge Hub on Civic Space. They will facilitate dialogue and access to knowledge of existing projects and protection measures (3).
Will the Shield Hold?
While the EDS’s proposed measures are comprehensive, they all operate on a voluntary basis (1). French MEP Nathalie Loiseau described it as a timid attempt to protect democracy and called for more serious measures that truly safeguard it in the EU, regardless of Member States’ attempts to undermine it (1). The EU constantly faces the struggle of protecting its citizens while not infringing on Member State sovereignty, limiting its measures (1).
The success of the EDS remains dependent on robust funding, which will be established after the Commission’s budget negotiations. In contrast, Russia’s apparent annual spending of up to 3 billion euros on information operations underscores the urgency of the EU backing the Shield with a competitive budget (1).