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A New European Shield for Democracy: How to Make it Work?

Topic: Media support, EU policies, Democracy in Europe, Civic space
Author: European Partnership for Democracy
March 2025

EPD and a group of 66 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.

Explore our position here

Signatories

Europe

  1. Alliance4Europe 
  2. ARTICLE 19
  3. Bulgarian Institute for Legal Initiatives Foundation (BILI)
  4. Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH)
  5. Center for Democracy and Technology
  6. Centre for Public Policy Providus (Latvia)
  7. Centrul de Politici şi Reforme (CPR Moldova)
  8. CFI Développement Médias (CFI)
  9. Civil Liberties Union for Europe
  10. Club de Madrid
  11. Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
  12. Croatian Platform for International Citizen Solidarity (CROSOL) (Croatia)
  13. The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation
  14. Democracy Reporting International (DRI)
  15. Democratic Society
  16. Demos Helsinki
  17. DW Akademie
  18. Egmont Institute
  19. Europe Jacques Delors
  20. European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA)
  21. European Centre for Press and Media Freedoms (ECPMF)
  22. European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
  23. European Partnership for Democracy (EPD)
  24. Fondazione Openpolis (Italy)
  25. Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
  26. Fund Safe Ukraine 2030
  27. Global Forum for Media Development
  28. The Good Lobby
  29. Human Rights Monitoring Institute (Lithuania)
  30. ILGA-Europe (European region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association)
  31. ImplicarePlus.org (Romania)
  32. Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD)
  33. International Foundation for Electoral Systems
  34. International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
  35. International Media Support (IMS)
  36. International Press Institute (IPI) 
  37. International IDEA
  38. Kofi Annan Foundation
  39. Lie Detectors (LD)
  40. Make.org
  41. Media Diversity Institute
  42. Netherlands Helsinki Committee (NHC)
  43. Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD)
  44. Network of Estonian Non-Profit Organisations (NENO) (Estonia)
  45. Open Government Partnership
  46. Open Society Foundation Bratislava (Slovakia)
  47. Open Source Politics
  48. Open Technologies Alliance – GFOSS
  49. Ossigeno per l’Informazione
  50. People in Need
  51. People Powered (PP)
  52. Political Parties of Finland for Democracy – Demo Finland
  53. Portuguese Platform of Development NGOs
  54. Raskrinkavanje (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
  55. SOLIDAR
  56. TRAC FM International (Netherlands)
  57. Transparency International EU
  58. UG Zašto Ne (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
  59. Vouliwatch (Greece)
  60. WHAT TO FIX

Global

  1. African Digital Democracy Observatory (ADDO)
  2. African Fact-Checking Alliance (AFCA)
  3. Code for Africa (CfA)
  4. Fundacion B77
  5. HuMENA for Human Rights and Civic Engagement 
  6. 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.

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