The European Commission has presented its European Democracy Action Plan aimed at promoting free and fair elections, strengthening media freedom and countering disinformation.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said today that “with the digital revolution under way, citizens must be able to make choices where views can be expressed freely. Facts have to be distinguished from fiction, and free media and civil society must be able to participate in an open debate, free from malign interference. Therefore the EU is taking action to make our democracies in the EU more resilient.”

The European Democracy Action Plan sets out measures around three main pillars – to promote free and fair elections, strengthening media freedom and pluralism, and to counter disinformation. The plan emphasises empowering citizens and building more resilient democracies across the EU.

The Commission will gradually implement the European Democracy Action plan until 2023 – a year ahead of the elections to the European Parliament in the spring of 2024.

In recent years, the safety of journalists has continued to deteriorate – physical and online threats and attacks on journalists are on the rise in several Member States, the Commission notes.

Vice-President for Values and Transparency, Vera Jourova was quoted as saying that “democracy cannot be taken for granted; it needs to be nurtured and protected. Our plan aims at protecting and promoting meaningful participation of citizens, empowering them to make their choices in the public space freely, without manipulation. We need to update the rules to harness the opportunities and challenges of the digital age. The plan proposes actions to increase protection of journalists and fight disinformation and interference, while fully protecting freedom of speech,” as carried by a press release.