European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated, “Democracy is the foundation of our freedom, security, and prosperity. The European Democracy Shield will enhance our capacity to protect democratic values such as freedom of expression, independent media, and a vibrant civil society.”
While the European Democracy Shield aims to strengthen the EU’s resilience against external interference, the EU Strategy for Civil Society seeks to protect and expand the civic space both within the EU and in partner countries.
European Democracy Shield: Joint Defense and Resilience Against Disinformation
The European Democracy Shield aims to reinforce democratic resilience by focusing on combating information manipulation and disinformation. Built on three key pillars, the Shield includes goals to safeguard the integrity of the information space, strengthen democratic institutions and electoral processes, and enhance societal resilience.
As part of this initiative, a European Centre for Democratic Resilience will be established to pool the expertise and resources of the EU and its Member States. The Centre will support collective responses and capacity-building efforts against threats stemming from foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI).
The plan also includes strengthening the Code of Practice on Disinformation, creating an independent European Fact-Checking Network, and preparing guidelines for the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence in electoral processes.
A new Media Resilience Programme will be launched to improve journalists’ safety, protect them against SLAPP lawsuits, and support local journalism.
To enhance societal resistance to information manipulation, the Commission will promote media and digital literacy. It will also introduce new participatory tools—particularly targeting young people—and establish a “civic tech” hub to strengthen democratic engagement.
An EU Democracy Guide will be published to raise awareness of citizens’ democratic rights within the EU, and new guidelines will be prepared to strengthen citizenship education in schools.
EU Strategy for Civil Society: Strengthening Participation, Protection, and Sustainable Funding
The Commission’s second initiative, the EU Strategy for Civil Society, aims to protect, support, and strengthen the work of civil society organizations (CSOs). The strategy is built around three core objectives:
Strengthening engagement
- A new Civil Society Platform will be established by 2026 to strengthen dialogue on the protection and promotion of EU values.
- A dedicated website will be launched to ensure transparency in all interactions between the Commission and civil society organizations.
- Ten new guiding principles will be adopted to strengthen Commission–civil society dialogue.
Support and protection in an open, safe and enabling civic space
- A Knowledge Hub on Civic Space will be created to facilitate access to existing tools and to provide emergency support for organizations under threat.
- Cooperation mechanisms with Member States will be reinforced to build capacity and strengthen civic space and protections for civil society organizations.
Funding
- Under the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the Commission plans to allocate €9 billion solely to the AgoraEU programme.
- The Commission will also establish new partnerships with private donors and the pro bono legal community to facilitate CSOs’ access to funding.
Designed in response to increasing political pressure, financial sustainability challenges, and the shrinking civic space that civil society organizations face, the EU Strategy for Civil Society is structured around these three main goals.