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13:30 GMT
BRUSSELS, Nov 12 (KUNA) -- The European Commission launched on Wednesday the "European Democracy Shield" initiative alongside the EU Strategy for Civil Society, in a move aimed at strengthening the resilience of democracies within the European Union.
Moreover, they are designed to protecte the EU institutions from what it described as internal and external threats, while combating disinformation.
The Commission explained in a press release that the two initiatives provide a set of concrete measures designed to empower and protect European democracy through supporting media freedom, ensuring the integrity of elections, enhancing the role of civil society, and strengthening democratic institutions across EU member states.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on the occasion that "democracy is the foundation of our freedom, prosperity, and security."
She added that the "European Democracy Shield" will "reinforce the core elements that allow citizens to enjoy shared democratic values, including freedom of expression, independent media, strong institutions, and a vibrant civil society," stressing the need to enhance Europeآ’s collective capacity to protect these values at all times.
In the same context, the Commission revealed its intention to cooperate with digital platforms and social media influencers as part of its new efforts to combat disinformation and promote democratic participation, amid growing concerns over foreign interference in European national elections.
The new strategy relies heavily on major technology companies such as Google, Microsoft, Meta, and the X platform, expecting them to enhance their efforts in detecting disinformation and cooperating with EU authorities to monitor and respond to large-scale disinformation campaigns quickly and effectively.
Platforms that have signed the voluntary Code of Conduct on disinformation will also be required to take additional steps to detect AI generated or manipulated content and label it accordingly.
The statement noted that the Commission is developing a digital emergencies and crisis protocol under the EU Digital Services Act to accelerate coordination between relevant authorities and ensure immediate responses to large scale disinformation operations.
The Commission highlighted the growing role of online influencers in digital political campaigns, explaining that it will establish a voluntary network of influencers to raise awareness of EU rules regulating political content and online public engagement.
Additionally, the Commission announced the creation of a new European Centre for Democratic Resilience, which will coordinate resources and expertise across EU countries, facilitate information sharing, and counter disinformation and foreign interference.
In parallel, the EU Strategy for Civil Society aims to enhance engagement with civil society organizations, support their work, and protect them as essential partners in policymaking, delivering community services, and representing vulnerable groups.
The strategy covers three main objectives namely strengthening civic participation through a new Civil Society Platform by 2026, expanding support and protection via an online Knowledge Hub to coordinate assistance and grants, and securing sustainable and transparent funding by increasing financial resources for these organizations under the EUآ’s new Multiannual Financial Framework.
The Commission stressed that the launch of these initiatives comes amid escalating political, technological, and media challenges facing European democracies, emphasizing that disinformation and foreign interference pose a direct threat to citizensآ’ trust in democratic institutions. (end)
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