RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE FIRST STEP OF THE EUROPEAN UNION TO FIGHT AGAINST DISINFORMATION
16 January, 2024
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On November 8, 2023, the European Commission presented its annual communication on EU enlargement policy. The president of the commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said that the European Commission recommends granting Georgia the status of a candidate country for EU membership on the understanding that a number of steps will be taken. Among the new 9 steps, the first involves fighting disinformation, foreign information manipulation and interference against the EU and its values.
According to the 2023 Communication on EU Enlargement Policy, "following the decision to recognise a European perspective to Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia as well as to grant candidate status to Moldova and Ukraine, these three countries have been the target of a new wave of FIMI campaigns, mainly aiming to discredit aspirations to join the EU and blame the West for the current situation in the region. In Georgia, a specific strand of disinformation attempted to imply that the West seeks to open a ‘second front’ against Russia from Georgia. More active debunking by the authorities would be opportune."
Information Integrity Coalition has developed a policy document that includes the recommendations on necessary steps to fulfill the first step defined by the European Commission.
