The European Commission to Establish a Center for Democratic Resilience to Counter Disinformation

The center’s aim is to pool expertise from EU member states and countries aspiring to join the bloc in order to coordinate efforts against external attempts to manipulate information and influence public opinion. The initiative is a cornerstone of the “shield of democracy” concept unveiled by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as she sought a second term ahead of the 2024 European Parliament elections.

Von der Leyen first announced the creation of the European Center for Democratic Resilience in September in a speech to the European Parliament. According to the draft document, due to be published on November 12, the primary threat, in the Commission’s assessment, comes from Russia. “Alongside its brutal aggression against Ukraine, Russia is stepping up hybrid attacks and waging a battle for influence in Europe,” the text reads. “By spreading false narratives, including manipulation and falsification of historical facts, it seeks to erode trust in democratic systems.”

The EU’s External Action Service has documented dozens of Russian disinformation operations, including the Doppelganger campaign conducted ahead of the European elections. The campaign involved setting up websites mimicking established media outlets and disseminating anti-Western content. Among the cloned sites were fake versions of Die Welt, Le Point, La Stampa and Polskie Radio. They published fabricated articles intended to discredit politicians and weaken public support for Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees, which were then amplified across social media.

The EU also identifies China as a source of threat. According to the European External Action Service, Beijing employs private PR firms and influencers to “create, amplify, and disseminate content aligned with China’s political interests worldwide.” In 2024, researchers at Citizen Lab uncovered 123 China-based websites posing as news outlets and pushing pro-Beijing disinformation in 30 countries across Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

The danger of foreign interference became undeniable after Romania, for the first time in EU history, annulled election results following the declassification of intelligence indicating a Russian campaign involving cyberattacks on voting systems and social media manipulation in support of an ultranationalist candidate. Moldova’s authorities have likewise accused Moscow of meddling in their elections—through voter bribery and large-scale propaganda efforts.

The center is intended to serve as a coordination hub for information-sharing between EU institutions and member states, as well as an early-warning mechanism and a tool to raise public awareness about attempts by foreign governments to influence the information space.

Participation in the center’s work will be voluntary—for both EU member states and candidate countries. The Commission also foresees the option of involving “like-minded partners,” which observers note could pave the way for the United Kingdom’s inclusion.

Other elements of the “democracy shield” include the creation of an independent fact-checking network to counter disinformation during elections, public health emergencies, and natural disasters.

Brussels is also proposing a voluntary community of online influencers to promote awareness of European democratic standards and norms of digital communication.