In November, the European Commission published the European Democracy Shield – a communication that outlines the EU strategy for strong and sustainable democracies on the continent.
ACTE welcomes the initiative and underlines the urgent need to comprehensively strengthen democratic structures, processes and safeguards. In this context, especially the strong role of civic tech is key, as highlighted by the Democracy Shield.
The Shield did not only outline the need for a flourishing European civic tech sector. All in all, it provides a roadmap for EU actions in three key areas: (A) reinforcing situational awareness and support response capacity to safeguard the integrity of the information space, (B) strengthening democratic institutions, free and fair elections and free and independent media, as well as (C) boosting societal resilience and citizens’ engagement.
Strong focus on information integrity
A key pillar of the European Democracy Shield focuses on strengthening situation awareness, preventing disinformation and foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) from spreading. ACTE welcomes the creation of the European Centre for Democratic Resilience, which will coordinate efforts, support fact-checking, and connect institutions, experts, and civil society.
The EU’s initiatives under the AI Act and Digital Services Act (DSA), which range from greater transparency on AI-generated content to the upcoming DSA incidents and crisis protocol, are important steps to protect Europe’s digital public sphere.
However, while these measures strengthen Europe’s capacity to respond to disinformation, pre-bunking, awareness-raising, and citizen participation should also remain central. The announced focus on strategic communication activities to counteract FIMI points in the right direction. Building true democratic resilience means not only countering manipulation but also empowering citizens to navigate the information space critically and confidently.
“Fighting FIMI is crucial and it’s also about empowering citizens. Technology can and should be used to strengthen people’s ability to engage critically and confidently in democracy.” - Alexis Prokopiev, Director, Vice-President of ACTE.
Elections protection is key
The second pillar of the European Democracy Shield focuses on ensuring strong democratic institutions, fair elections, and a resilient media landscape. ACTE welcomes the emphasis on safeguarding electoral processes, including online integrity, candidate safety, and transparency in political advertising, as well as the commitment to support media freedom and innovation.
The proposed guidance on the fair, transparent, human-centred and responsible use of AI in electoral processes is particularly important. As AI becomes increasingly present in the political sphere, it must be used carefully. But when done right, it can help voters better understand political priorities, interact with institutions and strengthen democratic participation.
ACTE also welcomes the recognition of influencers and digital creators as relevant actors in shaping public debate, provided that transparency and responsibility remain at the core. Above all, ACTE believes that empowering citizens to engage meaningfully, and in an innovative way thanks to civic tech, ahead of elections must remain central to these efforts.
The role of civic tech in promoting citizens’ engagement and participation
The third pillar of the European Democracy Shield highlights the importance of participation and civic tech in strengthening democracy. This focus goes to the very heart of ACTE's mission: building an open society where digital spaces foster constructive public debate and collective solutions.
The EU’s commitment to develop interoperable participation platforms, linking European, national, and local levels, is both welcome and timely. To truly empower citizens, such platforms must be based on inclusiveness, accessibility, and large-scale participation, ensuring that everyone can take part meaningfully in shaping policies.
The strong emphasis on civic tech is also crucial. The sector offers a unique opportunity not only to democratise technology but also to technologise democracy, by creating innovative tools that bring institutions closer to citizens and make participation more impactful, transparent, and engaging.
“European civic techs are world leaders in their field. When we talk about European success stories, this can be one of them, but it requires recognition and the right access to resources to truly thrive.” Axel Dauchez, Co-Founder of ACTE and President of Make.org
Investing in democracy is investing in our future
Finally, the European Democracy Shield also addresses the resources needed to make its ambitions a reality. The Commission rightly looks at both the short and the long term, with dedicated funding in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (2028–2034).
This financial dimension is highly crucial. Democracy cannot thrive without sustained investment. Adequate budgets must be secured to ensure that the Shield’s actions (from supporting media freedom to building participatory tools) can move from plans to practice. Implementation will take time, but the foundations being laid today are essential for a stronger, more resilient democratic Europe tomorrow.
“Financing a democratic innovation space involving the public sector, the private sector, and civil society — brought together around shared standards and methodologies — is essential to enable European citizens to mobilize at scale in defense of democracy and institutions." Adrien Duguet, President, ACTEAll in all, the continued uprising of the democratic values at the heart of the European Democracy Shield is a timely and necessary step to strengthen Europe’s resilience.
As a civic tech actor network, we believe that democracy flourishes when citizens are not only protected but also actively involved in shaping the future of our societies.
The Shield sets the right direction, but now it is up to all of us, institutions and citizens alike, to make these commitments a living reality.
