The European Parliament will today debate and vote on the European Democracy Shield, a new framework intended to strengthen the European Union’s defences against foreign interference, disinformation and sabotage (“hybrid”) attacks, with Russia identified as the main threat.
The European Parliament’s plenary session opened in Strasbourg yesterday, with President Roberta Metsola beginning her address by referring to the record-breaking heatwaves and wildfires that struck Europe this summer.
President Metsola said that many Europeans had lost their lives during the extreme heat and thanked firefighters and emergency workers who crossed borders and risked their lives to assist affected communities.
“Now, it is up to us in this House to work together so that when the next natural disaster hits, we are better prepared,” Metsola said.
The European Parliament also announced yesterday that it will open a new liaison office in Ottawa, Canada, ahead of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to Strasbourg this week.
The office will facilitate parliamentary exchanges between Canada and the EU and will also have a remit covering the increasingly strategically important Arctic region. Parliament’s Bureau formally approved the office on Monday.
Premier Carney will attend European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the European Union address on Wednesday before formally addressing the European Parliament on Thursday.
European Democracy Shield
Today’s debate and vote on the European Democracy Shield follows months of work by Parliament’s special committee examining foreign interference and threats to European democracy.
Its report calls for the proposed European Centre for Democratic Resilience to be established through legislation with a dedicated budget, bringing together expertise from EU member states to counter foreign interference and strengthen democratic institutions.
The report identifies Russia as the principal foreign and “hybrid” threat to European democracy, while calling for stronger protection against sabotage, cyberattacks, disinformation, electoral interference and manipulation of the European information space.
It also calls for greater protection of independent journalism and civil society, stronger media literacy and a reduction in Europe’s dependence on foreign-controlled technology in strategically sensitive sectors.
President Metsola will hold a press conference this afternoon together with the special committee’s chair Nathalie Loiseau and rapporteur Tomas Tobé following the debate and vote.
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