COLLEGE MEETING: A Europe that Protects: The EU steps up action against disinformation

To protect its democratic systems and public debates and in view of the 2019 European elections as well as a number of national and local elections that will be held in Member States by 2020, the European Union is presenting today an Action Plan to step up efforts to counter disinformation in Europe and beyond.

Taking stock of the progress made so far and following up on the call made by European leaders in June 2018 to protect the Union’s democratic systems, the European Commission and the High Representative are setting out concrete measures to tackle disinformation, including the creation of a Rapid Alert System and close monitoring of the implementation of the Code of Practice signed by the online platforms. The Action Plan also foresees an increase of resources devoted to the issue. The Action Plan focuses on four areas key to effectively build up the EU’s capabilities and strengthen cooperation between Member States and the EU: improved detection; coordinated response; online platforms and industry; and raising awareness and empowering citizens. The European Commission and the High Representative will develop and implement the measures set out in the Action Plan, in close cooperation with Member States and the European Parliament. A full press release, Q&A, and a factsheet will be available online.