| Author (Corporate) | European Commission: DG Justice |
|---|---|
| Series Details | COM (2021) 730 |
| Publication Date | 25/11/2021 |
| Content Type | Blog & Commentary, News, Policy-making |
Summary:Communication published by the European Commission on 25 November 2021, setting out the context for a package of legislative initiatives aimed at protecting election integrity and opening democratic debate. Further information:The European Union together (EU) with its Member States have the responsibility to protect and defend electoral and political rights of their citizens and bolster the principles of democratic debate, by providing a clear and predictable legal environment for these activities. They should address the fragmented and outdated regulation of the democratic debate. This is especially important since a lot of the activity and many of the challenges faced are increasingly of a cross-border nature, in a context of digital transformation. Moreover, the EU is not only concerned with protection democracy within its borders but also abroad, through its external action. In 2018, the European Commission adopted a package of initiatives addressing the challenges facing electoral rights. Since then, further changes have occurred in the way political actors connect to their electorate. The political debate migrated even further online and onto social media. Further reforms thus became necessary. Some of the previous measures were only recommendations and were not consistently implemented. Evidence shows that the existing rules can be circumvented. Citizens must be able to distinguish fact from fiction, and be able to participate in open debates, free from disinformation, unlawful interference, intimidation and manipulation. The European Democracy Action Plan (EDAP) initially set out steps the Commission vowed to take to strengthen democracy. The package led by this Communication includes legislative proposals for:
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| Source Link | Link to Main Source https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=COM:2021:730:FIN |
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| Subject Categories | Politics and International Relations |
| Subject Tags | Democracy |
| International Organisations | European Union [EU] |
