The Democracy Shield is an opportunity for the EU to safeguard its democratic foundations. Protecting democracy has been a core feature of our work, from ensuring civil society participation in the Conference on the Future of Europe, to contributing to the Commission’s democracy initiatives, from the European Democracy Action Plan, to the Defence of Democracy Package, and the Shield itself.
Our new paper provides ways to implement the different initiatives under the Shield. Our message is clear: democracy cannot be safeguarded without civil society.
Our recommendations include:
- The European Centre for Democratic Resilience must live up to its name. We support the goal of a Centre that is a focal coordination point for different aspects of the Democracy Shield. Interference against democratic institutions must be dealt with by supporting independent institutions, fact-checking, and institutional and civic electoral resilience.
- We must protect the media and information space. The Commission and Parliament have underlined the importance of implementing the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the Digital Services Act (DSA), as well as the AI Act. We support the thorough application of these acts. There must be no attempt to water down these digital protections.
- The European Cooperation Network on Elections must be reinforced to protect Europe’s electoral framework, a cornerstone of a functioning democracy.
- The Shield overlooks civil society’s role in deepening societal resilience. From civil protection and combating the impacts of climate change, to building trust amongst citizens, civil society should be acknowledged here.
- Finally, the EU’s long-term budget 2028-2034 is an opportunity to provide the funds needed to preserve democracy. We support a strong AgoraEU programme that allows civil society, culture, and media to thrive.