Brussels aims to control the spread of information it believes could undermine faith in democratic institutions.
The EU is reportedly planning a central body to track and combat what it deems foreign “disinformation,” according to a leaked document obtained by the Guardian. Critics have long cautioned that these EU efforts represent the establishment of a censorship system.
The European Commission’s proposal, expected to be released on November 12, outlines the Centre for Democratic Resilience as part of a larger “democracy shield” strategy, promoted by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in anticipation of the 2024 European elections. Participation in the center is voluntary, and the Commission has invited “like-minded partners” from outside the EU, including the UK and countries seeking to join the bloc.
The draft accuses Russia of intensifying “hybrid attacks” through the spread of allegedly false narratives, and identifies China as another threat, claiming that Beijing utilizes PR firms and social media influencers to promote its interests in Europe.
The US, formerly a partner in joint “disinformation” monitoring through the now-defunct Global Engagement Center, has since distanced itself from the EU’s regulatory drive. The US State Department recently characterized the EU’s initiatives as “Orwellian,” asserting that “censorship is not freedom” and warning that such measures only protect European leaders “from their own people.”
“If you’re , there is nothing America can do for you,” US Vice President J.D. Vance stated at the Munich Security Conference in February, in reference to the Romanian election. “If your democracy can be destroyed with a few hundred thousand dollars of digital advertising from a foreign country, then it wasn’t very strong to begin with.”
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