Von der Leyen promises ‘European Democracy Shield’ to combat foreign interference at EU level

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has promised to build up new capabilities and ‘structures’ at the EU level to battle foreign interference as part of her reelection campaign, while EU countries seek to review existing tools to maximise their effectiveness.

While visiting Copenhagen on Tuesday (14 May) as a part of her reelection campaign trail, she named the initiative the ‘European Democracy Shield’ and vowed, if reelected, to make it one of her priorities to “create new common capabilities at the European level” similar to France’s agency against online foreign interference, VIGINUM. 

“This should be an ambitious European project that focuses on the biggest threats from foreign interference and manipulation,” she said.

This announcement comes as EU institutions face increased pressure to shield the bloc’s continent-wide elections from foreign interference and espionage from Russia and China involving European politicians.

“I believe Europe now needs its own dedicated structure for countering foreign interference. It will pool the necessary expertise and link up and coordinate with existing national agencies,” she added.

Von der Leyen wants to boost foreign malign content detection and dismantle capabilities at the EU level.

She also wants to build on existing frameworks, such as the enforcement of the Digital Services Act – the EU’s online platform’s conduct rulebook, which includes rules to address disinformation – and a follow-up to the AI Act to battle the spread of deep fakes which, von der Leyen said, “can have a very destabilising role in electoral campaigns.”

EU countries keen to assess current tools 

It is unclear what shape these new “structures” will take and to what extent countries are ready to bring up to the EU-level intelligence and operative power currently handled nationally. 

Pressed to react following new foreign interference allegations, leaders launched in mid-April a temporary crisis task force to centralise monitoring and sharing of information on Russia’s attempts to interfere in June’s European elections. 

A permanent system will be considered after that, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, whose country currently holds the EU Council presidency, said.

He also seeks to expand the EU’s public prosecutor mandate to include foreign interference threats.

However, according to the final draft of the EU Council conclusions on democratic resilience, obtained by Euractiv, country leaders are poised to take a more pragmatic approach than von der Leyen’s campaign promises, instead focusing on the existing instruments available.

It is expected to be formally adopted in the coming days. 

Existing structures

After June’s EU elections, the EU Council is expected to ask EU top diplomat Josep Borrell and the Commission to audit the effectiveness of existing mechanisms and tools and “report on any issues and gaps identified (…) so that they can be rectified.” 

As one concrete measure, the EU countries plan to ask them “to move swiftly with the establishment” of the Hybrid Rapid Response Teams, whose goal is to counter “hybrid threats”, including foreign manipulation of information and interference (FIMI).

Otherwise, the draft text encourages member states and EU institutions to “swiftly and comprehensively use” the large array of tools handled by the EU’s diplomatic service (EEAS) to identify and prevent FIMI actions.

The EU diplomatic arm gathers and provides threat assessments based on its own contributions to share with the EU countries and provides a coordination framework in the Council.

The EU Hybrid, FIMI, and Cyber Diplomacy Toolboxes – among others – list every way the EU countries and institutions shall work against FIMI.

Taking action, however, has always remained difficult, as identifying the person and the group behind it can complicate the attribution of wrongdoing and, therefore, any sanctions.

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