The Commission’s adoption of the Democracy Package is a fundamental step in protecting the fundamental values ​​of our Union, which are democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights. Russian interference, cyber attacks, intrusive spyware, and pressure on the media and civil society are just a few examples of attacks on elements of our democracies.

More than 400 million Europeans will vote in next year’s European elections. The European Union has created a rich and unprecedented democratic space that transcends languages, borders, cultures and history.
Our citizens enjoy the freedom to express diverse opinions, participate in democratic life, contribute to policy development, and choose their representatives. This valuable freedom is our pride and our responsibility, especially in the face of external threats that seek to undermine these democratic processes. We have a moral and political duty and responsibility to care for, protect and guarantee what we have built.

The Democracy Package responds to a pressing need in today’s European Union. A recent survey shows that 81% of EU citizens consider foreign interference in our democratic systems to be a serious problem that requires action. Our answer is threefold: increase transparency, ensure the integrity of our electoral processes, and create an enabling civic space.

First, we are proposing a new rule that would shed light on hidden foreign influence by introducing transparency obligations. Citizens have the right to know whether a foreign government is funding activities in the EU in an attempt to influence public opinion and democratic debate. Of course, we remain proud of freedom of opinion and expression in the EU, including for foreign governments, and this will not stop. We simply want to be aware of the impact on our policies and reduce opportunities for covert funding on behalf of hostile third country governments.

Second, we are strengthening our electoral processes. The potential for online platforms to be used to spread misinformation or attempt to manipulate the public has never been greater. The package is aimed at promoting free and fair elections, protecting them from cyber attacks and manipulation attempts. The digital revolution has brought politics closer to voters, but it has also brought risks. We need to improve information sharing between authorities, strengthen information platforms, increase digital literacy and ensure that surveillance tools are not used to interfere with democratic debate or to target political figures and journalists.

Finally, the package promotes and protects active civic space. Democracy’s best allies are citizens, so it is critical that we build democratic resilience in the face of both internal and external threats, and across all generations, especially the youngest. This package empowers citizens and civil society organizations to participate more effectively in public policy-making processes, thereby strengthening democratic sustainability from within. This initiative builds on the investments already made, as well as on the opportunities for citizen participation and interaction opened by the Conference on the Future of Europe and continued by European Citizens’ Groups.

Our new initiatives are aimed at ensuring that citizens can trust the electoral process and results! A functioning democratic system is not something we can take for granted, but it is something we must all take care of every day. Today’s package demonstrates the EU’s proactive approach to supporting democratic processes and ensures that the European Union remains an inspiration for democracy, transparency and citizen participation.

Vera Yurova She is Vice President for Values ​​and Transparency of the European Commission and Dubravka Shuitsa She is Vice President for Democracy and Demography.