Communication on the European democracy action plan

Summary:

Communication published by the European Commission on 3 December 2020, setting out a European Democracy Action Plan (EDAP).

Further information:

The EDAP is aimed at EU institutions, national governments and parliaments, as well as other national authorities, political parties, media and civil society, and online platforms. It sets out a reinforced EU policy framework and specific measures to:

• Promote free and fair elections and strong democratic participation;
• Support free and independent media;
• Counter disinformation.

The Commission's strategy includes plans to propose legal action on political advertising, recommend measures to tackle safety of journalists and present an initiative to protect them from strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs). The Commission is also to steer efforts to overhaul the existing Code of Practice of Disinformation. The plan includes throughout an emphasis on empowering citizens and civil society to counter the threats.

This action plan was first announced in the Political Guidelines put forward by the President of the European Commission and featured in the Commission's 2020 Work Programme. It was published on 3 December 2020 alongside the Media and Audiovisual Action Plan (MAAP).

• Primary Source

Commentary and Analysis

ETUC: Document, 03/07/2020: Discussion Paper on the European Commission’s Democracy Action Plan approved at the virtual EXCO 2-3 July 2020 https://www.etuc.org/en/document/discussion-paper-european-commissions-democracy-action-plan-approved-virtual-exco-2-3-july

GSMA Europe: GSMA’s Views on the European Commission’s Public Consultation on the European Democracy Action Plan (14 September 2020) https://www.gsma.com/gsmaeurope/resources/european-democracy-action-plan/

Culture Action Europe: Open Letter on the European Democracy Action Plan and Freedom of Artistic Expression (14 September 2020) https://cultureactioneurope.org/files/2020/09/CAE_Freemuse_Open-Letter-EDAP-1.pdf

ENNHRI: News, 15/09/2020: ENNHRI inputs on new European Democracy Action Plan http://ennhri.org/news-and-blog/ennhri-inputs-on-new-european-democracy-action-plan/

Mozilla Firefox: Netpolicy, 17/09/2020: Mozilla files comments with the European Commission on safeguarding democracy in the digital age https://blog.mozilla.org/netpolicy/2020/09/17/mozilla-files-comments-with-the-european-commission-on-safeguarding-democracy-in-the-digital-age/

Article 19: Joint statement: 5 demands for an ambitious European Democracy Action Plan (18 September 2020) https://www.article19.org/resources/joint-statement-european-democracy-action-plan/

IDEA: News, 24/09/2020: International IDEA helps the European Commission on its European Democracy Action Plan https://www.idea.int/news-media/news/international-idea-helps-european-commission-its-european-democracy-action-plan

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 15/10/2020: How to Tackle Europe’s Digital Democracy Challenges https://carnegieendowment.org/2020/10/15/how-to-tackle-europe-s-digital-democracy-challenges-pub-82960

Robert Schuman Foundation: European Issues (No 578), 30/11/2020: European Democracy, a fundamental system to be protected https://www.robert-schuman.eu/en/european-issues/0578-european-democracy-a-fundamental-system-to-be-protected

EBU: Blog, 01/12/2020: What the European Democracy Action must deliver https://www.ebu.ch/news/2020/11/what-the-european-democracy-action-plan-must-deliver

Open Society Foundations: Response to the European Commission Consultation on the European Democracy Action Plan (December 2020) https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/publications/response-to-the-european-commission-consultation-on-the-european-democracy-action-plan

Carnegie Europe: Events, 04/12/2020: Can the European Democracy Action Plan Deliver? A Conversation with Věra Jourová [via Youtube] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujMTSwXNmR0

EDDA: News, 05/12/2020: The EU published European Democracy Action Plan: what is the role of digital transformation in it? https://europeandigital.org/the-eu-published-european-democracy-action-plan-what-is-the-role-of-digital-transformation-in-it

Friedrich Naumann Foundation, 09/12/2020: European Democracy Action Plan: Mechanisms Over Content https://fnf-europe.org/2020/12/09/european-democracy-action-plan-mechanisms-instead-of-content/

EU Law Analysis, 15/12/2020: European Democracy Action Plan – an Overview http://eulawanalysis.blogspot.com/2020/12/european-democracy-action-plan-overview.html

Heinrich Böll Foundation: Analysis, 17/12/2020: Reflections on the European Democracy Action Plan: An Easily-Overlooked Concern https://www.boell.de/en/2020/12/17/reflections-european-democracy-action-plan-easily-overlooked-concern

OBC Transeuropa, 22/12/2020: EU takes its best action against foreign interference when tackling the big issues https://www.balcanicaucaso.org/eng/Areas/Europe/EU-takes-its-best-action-against-foreign-interference-when-tackling-the-big-issues-207435

Chatham House: Expert Comment, 15/02/2021: Persuasion or manipulation? Limiting campaigning online https://www.chathamhouse.org/2021/02/persuasion-or-manipulation-limiting-campaigning-online

International Press Institute: Newsroom, 17/02/2021: Věra Jourová: “EU underestimated the role of media in upholding democracy” https://ipi.media/vera-jourova-eu-underestimated-the-role-of-media-in-upholding-democracy/

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News

Reuters, 14/07/2020: EU Commission seeks input on tackling fake news, ensuring fair polls https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKCN24F2UZ

EurActiv, 20/11/2020: EU ambassadors want disinformation crackdown in Democracy Action Plan https://www.euractiv.com/section/digital/news/leak-eu-ambassadors-want-disinformation-crackdown-in-democracy-action-plan/

RFE/RL, 03/12/2020: Jourova: EU To Impose A 'Cost' For Spreaders Of Fake News, Such As Russia https://www.rferl.org/a/jourova-says-eu-to-seek-imposing-a-cost-for-spreading-fake-news/30982123.html

EUCRIM: News, 19/01/2021: European Democracy Action Plan https://eucrim.eu/news/european-democracy-action-plan/

EurActiv, 04/03/2021: European Commission pledges support for struggling media sector https://www.euractiv.com/section/digital/news/european-commission-pledges-support-for-struggling-media-sector/

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Official

European Commission: Priorities 2019-2024: European Democracy Action Plan https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/new-push-european-democracy/european-democracy-action-plan_en

European Parliament: Legislative Train Schedule: European Democracy Action Plan https://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-a-new-push-for-european-democracy/file-european-democracy-action-plan

European Commission: Public Consultations: Protecting European democracy from interference and manipulation – European Democracy Action Plan https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12506-European-Democracy-Action-Plan

European Commission: Report on the Public Consultation for the European DemocracyAction Plan (EDAP) https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/report_edap_public_consultation_final.pdf

European Commission: Press Release, 15/07/2020: Public consultation: Commission seeks citizens' views in preparation of new European Democracy Action Plan https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_1352

EBU: News, 15/09/2020: EBU makes recommendations for European Democracy Action Plan https://www.ebu.ch/news/2020/09/ebu-makes-recommendations-for-european-democracy-action-plan

European Commission: Press Release, 03/12/2020: European Democracy Action Plan: making EU democracies stronger https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_2250

European Commission: Questions and Answers: European Democracy Action Plan – making EU democracies stronger (3 December 2020) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_20_2251

European Commission: European Democracy Action Plan: Remarks by Vice-President Vera Jourová (3 December 2020) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_20_2308

EU EESC: News, 25/03/2021: European Democracy Action Plan: much needed, long overdue but not broad enough https://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/news-media/news/european-democracy-action-plan-much-needed-long-overdue-not-broad-enough

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