MEPs adopt proposals to strengthen EU Democracy Shield against foreign interference

Strasbourg, 15 September 2026

Russia is the primary external threat; Belarus, China, Iran and North Korea also active
Protection of free and independent media and fight against online electoral interference are key
Clear mandate and dedicated budget needed for new EU body tasked with combatting foreign interference
Online platforms should act against bot-driven electoral interference

Foreign interference and disinformation threats are an attack on the “very essence of the European project”, MEPs warn, with citizens as primary victims. On Tuesday, Parliament adopted (with 420 votes for, 220 against, 26 abstentions) a report on the findings of the special committee on the European Democracy Shield, including practical recommendations on how the EU can do more to defend its democratic institutions and strengthen its existing toolbox.

Parliament’s special committee was set up in December 2024 and tasked with assessing the intensification and impact of hostile activities targeting the EU, such as foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), hybrid attacks, and coordinated disinformation campaigns. In their findings, MEPs argue that the EU’s approach currently suffers from fragmentation, as individual member states cannot effectively counter these threats on their own.

A new EU entity fit to defend democracy

MEPs support the creation of the EU centre for democratic resilience (as announced by the Commission in its Democracy Shield strategy, in line with proposals tabled by Parliament during the previous term). They see this functioning as an independent “centre of excellence” to combat FIMI and disinformation and to coordinate national actions. The new structure should not duplicate existing tools but instead consolidate ongoing EU-level actions into a single entity with a clear vision, mandate, budget, and capacity to act. Participation should be mandatory for all member states and parliamentary oversight ensured .

Russia: primary threat to Europe’s democratic integrity

The report highlights Russia’s frequent hybrid attacks on critical infrastructure, such as cyberattacks, physical sabotage, arson, espionage and signal jamming, also originating from Belarus, China, Iran and North Korea. MEPs want expanded sanctions on the enablers of disinformation and on those that help circumvent existing sanctions. It also condemns Russia’s politically motivated “blacklisting” of EU officials, journalists and MEPs as an instrument of hybrid warfare.

Digital interference

As these attacks are happening largely in the digital sphere, MEPs demand rigorous enforcement of existing digital rules (such as the Digital Services and AI Acts), rather than new legislation. They also want platforms to be held accountable and to do more to combat bot-driven election interference and to protect democratic discourse. The report says freedom of expression and information are rights that protect human beings, not machines.

EU sovereignty

MEPs urge the EU to reduce its reliance on foreign-controlled technology in critical sectors, particularly from US tech companies and Chinese hardware, including through a balanced “buy European” strategy when investing in critical infrastructure, and diversification to more reliable partners for the supply of critical raw materials.

Electoral resilience

To protect election integrity from evolving threats and prevent proxy financing and interference, MEPs propose classifying electoral infrastructure as critical. They call for a “know your donor” principle for cryptocurrency-based political donations, for measures against malicious deepfakes and fraudulent ads, and for increased protection for female candidates.

They also say close cooperation and support for improving resilience in candidate and partner countries is essential, while condemning the instrumentalisation of migration as an unacceptable attempt to exert political pressure on the EU.

Media freedom and civil society

Strengthening media and AI literacy is key, alongside a robust and independent civil society, MEPs say. They call for long-term funding commitments on media freedom and investigative journalism, safeguards against illegal spyware, and support for civic participation.

Societal preparedness

MEPs stress that building democratic resilience requires society to continue to function in crisis situations. They recommend regular large-scale exercises, the creation of an EU-wide crisis alert app and the designation of an annual “European Preparedness Day” on 24 February – the anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

More information on the report’s key points.

Quote

Rapporteur Tomas Tobé (EPP, Sweden) said during the plenary debate:

This report is not about regulating political opinions. It is about protecting our democracy from foreign influence operations. Russian bots are not free speech. Foreign interference is not free speech. And manipulating our elections is certainly not free speech”.

Further information

Source – EU Parliament

EPP: Europe needs a Democracy Shield with real teeth

Strasbourg, 15 September 2026

The EPP Group wants the EU to give itself the tools and resources to protect European democracies from foreign interference, disinformation and hybrid threats. Ahead of today’s vote on Parliament’s recommendations, Tomas Tobé MEP calls for a Democracy Shield with the power to act.

“Protecting democracy from foreign interference must be a European priority. We must respond with greater determination and reinforce the European Democracy Shield. Russia remains the most serious threat to the integrity of our democracies. Its continued attempts to influence elections and manipulate the information space show that the Kremlin sees democratic resilience as a threat to its own interests,” says Tomas Tobé MEP, EPP Group Vice-Chair and the Parliament’s negotiator on the European Democracy Shield.

The EPP Group wants the Democracy Shield to be more than just a name. Europe needs stronger coordination and real operational capacity to protect elections, defend democratic institutions and counter foreign interference. The European Centre for Democratic Resilience must have the powers and resources to respond effectively to threats.

“With this report, the European Parliament sends a clear message: we will not be passive while our democracies are under threat. We must now turn the European Democracy Shield into effective action to protect our elections, defend our institutions and counter foreign interference,” concludes Tobé.

A press conference will follow the vote on Tuesday, 15 September, at 13.30 in the Press Room of the European Parliament in Strasbourg and online.

Source – EPP

SPD/S&D: “Making Europe more resilient against Russian destabilisation”

Strasbourg, 15 September 2026

Russia and other authoritarian states are deliberately seeking to exacerbate social conflicts in Europe, influence elections and undermine trust in democratic institutions.

The EU wants to better protect its democracies against hybrid attacks and disinformation. The European Parliament is calling, among other things, for centralised European coordination against foreign interference, better protection of elections and critical infrastructure, and more consistent enforcement of European digital rules. Today in Strasbourg, the European Parliament voted in favour of the own-initiative report of the Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield. The European Commission must now translate the recommendations into concrete measures to better protect European democracy.

Katarina Barley, Vice-President of the European Parliament and member of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection:

“Europe’s democracy must not be an easy target for Putin’s influence operations. Through sabotage, cyberattacks and targeted disinformation, Russia has long been waging a hybrid war against Europe. The objective is control: Putin wants to divide the European Union to weaken us.

We must stop treating each attack in isolation. When disinformation campaigns, cyberattacks or attempts to exert influence occur in several Member States, alarm bells must ring across Europe. That is why we need a central European body that pools information, identifies threats early and coordinates a joint response.

At the same time, major platforms must no longer serve as gateways for manipulation. With the Digital Services Act, the AI Act and the rules on political advertising, we have created instruments to counter this. The European Commission must now enforce them consistently. Those who earn billions from algorithms also bear responsibility for ensuring that these do not become weapons against our democracy.”

Disclaimer: e-translated by ChatGPT, prompted by Insight EU. This English translation is provided for informational purposes only. In the event of any discrepancies or legal interpretations, the original German version shall prevail and is the only legally binding text.

Source: SPD in the European Parliament

Greens EFA: Commission must overhaul EU Democracy Shield

Strasbourg, 15 September 2026

Today, the European Parliament adopted the report of the Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield (EUDS), calling for major improvements to the European Commission’s disappointing initiative.

The European Democracy Shield was meant to prepare the EU for old and new digital threats, including foreign interference, disinformation campaigns, cyberattacks and attacks on freedom of expression. Instead, the Commission presented a voluntary and unambitious framework.

MEP Kim van Sparrentak, Greens/EFA negotiator and member of the Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield, comments:

“This report sends a clear message to Ursula von der Leyen: the Commission’s Democracy Shield is not good enough. Europe needs fast and concrete action to defend democracy against foreign interference, hybrid threats and to reduce our dependence on US Big Tech, cloud services and AI infrastructure.

“Today the Parliament is clear: social media in its current form is a threat to our democracy. The reaction-baiting algorithms of social media turn us into toys of Putin and the far right. And Musk and Zuckerberg profit from disinformation spreading on their platforms. Divisive messages top our timelines and seep into our media, politics and homes. Now finally, there is an overwhelming majority for action. Algorithms that amplify extremist content, disinformation and hate must be treated as a risk to democracy and limited accordingly.”

“Now, the Commission must turn the Democracy Shield into a real instrument, instead of a neighbourhoodwatch chat group. That means creating an independent and well-funded Centre for Democratic Resilience, with a clear mandate, teeth, enough staff and proper parliamentary oversight.”

Source – Greens/EFA

ECR: European Democracy Shield must not become a tool for political interference

Strasbourg, 15 September 2026

Speaking during Tuesday’s plenary debate on the findings and recommendations of the Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield, ECR MEP and Shadow Rapporteur Beata Szydło warned that the efforts to protect European democracy must not become a pretext for restricting democratic choices, expanding EU powers or interfering in the political processes of Member States.

Szydło stressed that her Group recognises the serious threats posed by foreign interference, particularly from Russia and Belarus, but cannot support the report in its current form.

“I would like to support this report because it contains several positive elements in terms of tackling foreign interference in democratic processes, particularly from Russia and Belarus. However, I cannot support it. We have experienced such mechanisms in Europe before, which did very little to support democratic values while claiming to do wonderful things,’ said Szydło.

She warned that turning the voluntary European Centre for Democratic Resilience into a permanent EU body with its own staff, budget, monitoring functions and crisis-response powers risks creating a problematic role for the EU in national electoral processes, while lacking a clear Treaty basis.

The ECR MEP questioned who would ensure that those tasked with protecting democracy would themselves respect democratic processes, pointing to previous experiences with EU mechanisms.

“We have to fight the enemy, but the answer to attacks from the outside is not interference from within. Democracy will not be protected by limiting democratic choices, so the ECR Group will not be able to support this report,” Szydło said.

For the ECR Group, Europe must defend its democracies against Russian and Chinese interference, cyberattacks, espionage and sabotage while ensuring that fundamental freedoms, national sovereignty and democratic accountability remain firmly protected. Protecting democracy must never come at the expense of freedom of expression, national competences or the democratic choices of European citizens.

Source – ECR