Defending Europe’s Democracy: EU Civil Society Strategy and the European Democracy Shield
On 12 November, the European Commission unveiled two new initiatives, the European Democracy Shield and the EU Civil Society Strategy, setting a renewed course for defending and deepening democracy across Europe. Together, these initiatives form the most comprehensive framework yet for protecting the Union’s democratic integrity, countering foreign interference, and ensuring that civil society can thrive as a cornerstone of Europe’s democratic life.
In a context of intensifying geopolitical confrontation, digital disruption, and rising polarisation, both communications reaffirm that democracy is not only the foundation of the European project but also its strongest line of defence. The European Democracy Shield sets out a structured response to the threats facing Europe’s democratic systems — from disinformation and hybrid interference to declining civic trust — by reinforcing situational awareness, protecting elections and media freedom, and building societal resilience through cooperation between EU institutions, Member States, and civil society. Central to this effort is the creation of a European Centre for Democratic Resilience, designed to coordinate expertise, improve early warning systems, and strengthen Europe’s collective capacity to anticipate and respond to democratic threats.
The accompanying EU Civil Society Strategy recognises that open civic space and meaningful participation are essential to the health and legitimacy of European democracy. It commits to ensuring a safe, enabling, and sustainable environment for civil society organisations, including through stable and transparent funding, the establishment of a Civil Society Platform for structured dialogue, and the promotion of guiding principles for inclusive and accountable engagement across all policy areas. The Strategy also calls for closer coordination with Member States and candidate countries to strengthen civic space and democratic participation throughout the wider European area.
Taken together, these initiatives mark a significant step in embedding democratic resilience into the EU’s broader security, digital, and governance agenda. They reaffirm that defending democracy is not only a matter of protecting institutions, but of empowering citizens and ensuring that Europe’s values remain a living reality for all.
At a time of rising polarisation, foreign interference, and public uncertainty, the European Movement International welcomes the Commission’s commitment to reinforce the protection of democracy through the European Democracy Shield and the EU Civil Society Strategy. These initiatives are crucial to strengthening the EU’s democratic resilience and reaffirming its founding values in the face of unprecedented digital, geopolitical, and societal challenges.
As set out in our policy positions on Digital Platforms and Foreign Interference, and in our policy position onCountering Disinformation & Misinformation, defending democracy requires a comprehensive and proactive approach — one that reinforces institutional safeguards, empowers civil society, and fosters an informed and engaged society. The Democracy Shield must therefore go beyond reactive measures to create a coherent and forward-looking framework for defending democratic processes, ensuring accountability in the digital sphere, and safeguarding civic space.
Civil society is the cornerstone of democracy. Organised civil society acts as a democratic watchdog, bridging citizens and institutions, exposing disinformation, and mobilising participation. Yet, across Europe, civic actors continue to face bureaucratic, financial, and political obstacles that weaken their ability to act. The EU Civil Society Strategy must directly address these constraints by ensuring stable, transparent, and accessible funding for civil society organisations (CSOs), supporting their capacity-building, and embedding their participation in EU policymaking. A thriving civic space is a precondition for resilient democracies.
Even though the European Democracy Shield and the EU Civil Society Strategy are welcomed steps in the right direction, we need to acknowledge the deep and structural challenges our democracies face.AsEMI’s latest poll on support for democracy shows, only 36% of respondents in the seven EU Member States we surveyed identify as consistent supporters of democracy. That in itself reminds us that we need to ensure that the adoption of the European Democracy Shield and EU Civil Society Strategy is not the end of our efforts to defend democracy but instead form a first step towards a much more comprehensive and citizen- focused strategy to strengthen our democracy.
The European Democracy Shield should therefore act not only as a protective mechanism but as a sustained impetus for European democracy — one that invests in civic resilience, democratic education, and participatory governance. Strengthening civic literacy, supporting independent media, and ensuring inclusive dialogue between institutions and citizens are indispensable to restoring trust and countering democratic fatigue. Europe’s ability to act with unity and purpose depends on the strength of its democratic foundations. By empowering civil society and fostering a culture of active citizenship, the EU can transform the Democracy Shield into a genuine cornerstone of European resilience.
European Movement International Place du Luxembourg 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
