EU needs real 'democracy shield', not another buzzword

The European Parliament expects the European Commission to be ambitious, bold, and forward-looking when presenting the European Democracy Shield this Wednesday (12 November).

At a time when Russia and other malicious actors seek to illegitimately influence democratic processes in Europe, both the EU and its member states must find more effective ways to counter these attempts.

In recent years, we have seen countless examples of Russia trying to influence European elections by systematically spreading disinformation, or through other actions designed to undermine public trust in democratic institutions.

Most recently, Russia’s efforts to influence the Czech parliamentary elections through troll farms and foreign operations were documented.

Earlier this year, during the German elections, the so-called “doppelgänger” phenomenon – named after the German word for look-alike – gained attention when Russian interests created replicas of well-known news sites to spread false, pro-Russian narratives.

Another widely discussed example of Russian interference was last year’s Romanian presidential election, which had to be reorganised after reports of Russian influence operations.

Intelligence reports revealed systematic use of fake Russian social media accounts to sway the debate, while the country’s election authority was targeted by large-scale cyberattacks.

TikTok reported deleting 175,000 fake or spam accounts in the aftermath of the elections.

This reality underscores the need for the EU to take a comprehensive approach to better protect our democratic systems from foreign interference.

Although delayed, the European Commission is now expected to present its communication on the European Democracy Shield this week, outlining concrete EU measures to safeguard Europe’s democracies from external threats.

The EU must better equip its agencies to assist member states in protecting themselves against such hybrid attacks. This includes clarifying and strengthening the mandates of Europol, Frontex, and Eurojust.

As the European Parliament’s rapporteur for the European Democracy Shield, my message to the commission is clear: the time for piecemeal or complacent solutions is over.

The Parliament expects an ambitious and courageous reform agenda to defend democracy.

To strengthen our democratic resilience, the EU should now act in the following key areas:

Strengthen the EU's capacity to act

Current efforts to identify and respond to foreign interference and disinformation must be reinforced and taken to the next level. The goal should be to detect and counter influence operations as they unfold, rather than merely analysing them afterwards. Countermeasures, such as EU sanctions mechanisms, must be better integrated into this work. The commission’s pledge to create a European Centre for Democratic Resilience is important, but it must become more than a symbolic office in the Berlaymont HQ. The new structure should act as a centre of excellence, be independent, and have sustainable funding.

Elections as critical infrastructure

Every EU member state has its own democratic traditions and election procedures. Yet, there are shared structures and minimum standards. Within the framework of the European Democracy Shield, the classification of electoral systems as part of the EU’s critical infrastructure, along with the strengthening of the European Cooperation Network on Elections (ECNE) should be urgently implemented.

Clear digital rules of engagement

Freedom of expression, including online, is fundamental. However, even the digital sphere requires rules. The Digital Services Act (DSA) establishes obligations for major social media platforms, such as ensuring users’ rights to appeal account suspensions. At the same time, platforms must take measures to minimise the misuse of their systems, such as the systematic spread of disinformation during elections. They must become more proactive in prevention, and the DSA must be fully implemented. Another issue that needs to be addressed is the practice of covertly purchasing political support from influencers. 

Support independent media and civil society

Building societies that are resilient against influence operations is crucial. In countries such as Hungary, the space for independent media and civil society has become increasingly restricted. Strengthening the EU’s democratic defences must therefore also involve protecting media freedom, empowering civil society, and promoting media literacy among citizens to ensure they can critically assess information and resist disinformation campaigns.

Stronger mandate for EU agencies

Attempts to destabilise societies or erode public trust can take many forms – from the instrumentalisation of migrants to pressure the EU’s external borders, to the sabotage of energy infrastructure. The EU must better equip its agencies to assist member states in protecting themselves against such hybrid attacks. This includes clarifying and strengthening the mandates of Europol, Frontex, and Eurojust.

Support neighbourhood countries

Countries in the EU’s neighbourhood are even more exposed to foreign influence attempts than EU member states themselves, not least from Russia. The example of Moldova is particularly telling. Reforms to systematically increase EU support for these countries’ countermeasures should be a cornerstone of the European Democracy Shield.

In an increasingly uncertain global environment, we must safeguard European cooperation, our democracy, and our shared values.

I both hope and expect that the commission will now present an ambitious agenda to make this possible in practice.

Update 11-11: This article was updated to correct the nationality of the author Tomas Tobé – he is Swedish, not German.

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