MEPs in plenary adopted (552 votes in favour, 81 against, 60 abstentions), on Wednesday 9 March, the report by Sandra Kalniete (EPP, Latvia) on foreign interference in all EU democratic processes, including disinformation.
Widely supported - with the exception of the ID group, which had only one member in favour - the report stresses the importance of independent media and calls for consideration to be given to revoking the licences of organisations that broadcast foreign state propaganda.
In addition, the report recommends that social media platforms should “stop stimulating the creation of inauthentic accounts that promote the spread of harmful foreign interference” and calls on universities to “reconsider” their cooperation with Confucius Institutes, which have been described as “Chinese lobbying platforms”.
“Online platforms and technology companies must take a stand by suspending accounts that deny, glorify or justify aggression, war crimes and crimes against humanity. In the long term, we need a clear strategy from the European Commission”, said Sandra Kalniete.
In addition to the desired clarification of European parties’ relations with Russia, the report also recommends a ban on their financing via funds from abroad.
On the subject of cyber security, as Member State ministers held an informal meeting on the same day (see EUROPE 12907/4), the report stresses the need to improve the level of cyber security and to list surveillance software such as Pegasus as illegal.
The report adopted by the Parliament on Wednesday 9 March is the result of the work of the Special Committee on Foreign Interference in all Democratic Processes in the European Union, whose mandate expires on 23 March. See the document: https://aeur.eu/f/pe (Original version in French by Thomas Mangin)