Background

Against the backdrop of aggravating threats against European democracy and values, paired with growing internal pressure, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in July 2024 announced plans for a European democracy shield (EDS). The aim is to protect against foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), boost societal resilience, build a European network of fact-checkers, and step up digital enforcement and address deepfakes, while preserving and promoting EU fundamental rights and freedoms, including freedom of expression.

European Commission proposal

On 12 November 2025, the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy published a joint communication on the European democracy shield: Empowering strong and resilient democracies. The EDS is overseen by the Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, Michael McGrath. It aims to protect democracy against increasingly complex threats, including 'interference and distortions in the information space', as well as hybrid threats aimed at impacting elections and eroding trust in democratic processes. The current Irish Council Presidency's 'interlocking and mutually reinforcing' priority areas – competitiveness, security and values – increase the focus on this area through the lens of the current geopolitical landscape. Dublin is set to 'advance the establishment and operationalisation of the European Centre for Democratic Resilience' to boost the EU's 'collective capacity to anticipate, detect and respond to threats to democracy'.

European Parliament position

On 23 June 2026, the Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield (EUDS) – set up following a December 2024 vote – adopted an own-initiative report with recommendations to improve the EDS with 20 votes in favour, 9 votes against, and 2 abstentions. MEPs voiced support for the EU centre for democratic resilience, which they recommended be set up in a binding legal act with a dedicated budget, and involving all Member States in its governance. The report includes proposals to better equip the EU to counter foreign interference, hybrid threats and disinformation, including via faster responses by platforms in countering electoral interference, not least bot-driven efforts, and exposing covert generative artificial intelligence (AI)-accelerated disinformation campaigns.It identifies Russia as the primary external hybrid threat actor, with Belarus, China, Iran and North Korea also actively targeting the EU. MEPs propose categorising electoral infrastructure as critical; an ambitious reform of the European Cooperation Network on Elections (ECNE); stronger measures against malicious deepfakes and fraudulent ads; and better protection for female candidates. They call on the EU to reduce reliance on foreign-controlled technology in critical sectors, particularly United States tech companies and Chinese hardware. The report also calls for better protection of investigative journalists, free, independent media and civil society; EU media literacy programmes and awareness of AI-generated content; and ambitious funding under AgoraEU.

Own-initiative report: 2025/2069(INI); Committee responsible: EUDS; Rapporteur: Tomas Tobé (EPP, Sweden). For further information see our related 'at a glance' note and briefing.