EPD and a group of 49 organisations working to support and develop democracy welcome the European Commission’s initiative to create a European Democracy Shield as a coordinated effort to support democracy in and around Europe. This initiative is particularly relevant in the current context of global democratic backsliding.
Given the Shield’s thematic focus on the information space, election integrity, and civic engagement, we see it as a natural successor to the European Democracy Action Plan (EDAP). EDAP saw the introduction of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), the Anti-SLAPP Directive, a revamped Code of Practice on Disinformation, and the Regulation on the Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA), among others, which are all vital steps towards creating healthier European democracies. Complementing the EDAP, legislation was passed such as the Digital Services Act (DSA), the Digital Markets Act (DMA), and the AI Act that regulate technological advancements in line with democratic standards.
Taking into consideration the Commission’s core priorities on democracy, including the rule of law and fundamental rights, the Shield should use this legislative basis with increased determination and ambition, to achieve concrete improvements over the next mandate.
In order to ensure that the European Democracy Shield effectively responds to the challenges faced by democracy in Europe, it is vital that it addresses a series of priorities.
Signatories
Europe
- Alliance4Europe
- ARTICLE 19
- Bulgarian Institute for Legal Initiatives Foundation (BILI)
- Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH)
- Centre for Public Policy Providus (Latvia)
- Centrul de Politici şi Reforme (CPR Moldova)
- CFI Développement Médias (CFI)
- Civil Liberties Union for Europe
- Club de Madrid
- Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
- Croatian Platform for International Citizen Solidarity (CROSOL) (Croatia)
- Democracy Reporting International (DRI)
- Democratic Society
- Demos Helsinki
- DW Akademie
- Egmont Institute
- Europe Jacques Delors
- European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA)
- European Centre for Press and Media Freedoms (ECPMF)
- European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
- European Partnership for Democracy (EPD)
- Fondazione Openpolis (Italy)
- Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
- Fund Safe Ukraine 2030
- Global Forum for Media Development
- The Good Lobby
- Human Rights Monitoring Institute (Lithuania)
- ILGA-Europe (European region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association)
- ImplicarePlus.org (Romania)
- Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD)
- International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
- International Media Support (IMS)
- International Press Institute (IPI)
- International IDEA
- Kofi Annan Foundation
- Lie Detectors (LD)
- Make.org
- Netherlands Helsinki Committee (NHC)
- Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD)
- Network of Estonian Non-Profit Organisations (NENO) (Estonia)
- Open Government Partnership
- Open Society Foundation Bratislava (Slovakia)
- Open Source Politics
- Open Technologies Alliance – GFOSS
- People in Need
- People Powered (PP)
- Political Parties of Finland for Democracy – Demo Finland
- Portuguese Platform of Development NGOs
- Raskrinkavanje (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- TRAC FM International (Netherlands)
- Transparency International EU
- UG Zašto Ne (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- Vouliwatch (Greece)
Global
- African Digital Democracy Observatory (ADDO)
- African Fact-Checking Alliance (AFCA)
- Code for Africa (CfA)
- Fundacion B77
- HuMENA for Human Rights and Civic Engagement
- One More Percent
The following organisations contributed to drafting this position: Alliance4Europe, ARTICLE 19, CFI Développement Médias (CFI), Civil Liberties Union for Europe, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Democratic Society, European Centre for Press and Media Freedoms (ECPMF), European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Europe Jacques Delors, European Partnership for Democracy, Free Press Unlimited (FPU), International Press Institute (IPI), Lie Detectors (LD), Make.org, Open Government Partnership.
Cover photo: © george on Adobe Stock.
