The European Democracy Shield and the EU Strategy for Civil Society present measures to protect the key pillars of our democratic systems: free people, free and fair elections, free and independent media, a vibrant civil society and strong democratic institutions.
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, said:
Europe stands stronger than ever to defend its foundations and democratic values. Citizens are the heartbeat of our democracies. Our proposals are about more than defence — they are about empowerment. We want every citizen, every association, every voice to know that Europe stands with them. A confident, open, and resilient democracy is the best answer to those who seek to divide or weaken us.
The actions under the European Democracy Shield will further boost our collective capacity to counter information manipulation and disinformation and strengthen our resilience through a whole-of-society approach.
The European Democracy Shield will present actions across three main pillars:
- safeguarding the integrity of the information space;
- strengthening our institutions, fair and free elections, and free and independent media; and
- boosting societal resilience and citizens' engagement.
Read the full press release.
Read more about the specific actions related to online platforms and media freedom.