The EU Parliament is preparing for the 2024 European elections and is concerned about increased influence from third countries such as China and Russia. The parliament is calling for a coordinated strategy to defend against foreign interference, disinformation and attacks on democracy. As part of this, MEPs are recommending that TikTok be banned by all levels of government in the EU, due to security concerns. The Chinese social media app has been accused of enabling espionage, threatening national security, and failing to protect personal data.
MEPs are also appealing to the EU Commission and the Council of Ministers to exclude the use of devices or software from high-risk countries such as China and Russia. Parliament has approved a new report by the Special Committee on Foreign Influence in All Democratic Processes (INGE), which addresses critical infrastructure protection, cyber resilience, and interference in elections. The report also condemns the phenomenon of paid disinformation and urges the EU to develop a traceable donation system while taking urgent action against financial contributions from third countries to political parties.
The parliament warns of economic dependency, espionage, and sabotage if foreign companies gain influence over critical infrastructure such as the EU’s ports. Adequate funding is needed to counter “fake news” and protect democratic processes. In March 2022, parliament called for sanctions against Russia and China in the ongoing “information war” based on an INGE assessment.
