Special Committee on Foreign Interference in all Democratic Processes in the European Union, including Disinformation 2 (COVI)

The European Parliament decided, on 9 March 2022, to set up this Special Committee to build on and complete the work carried out by the INGE Special Committee i. This special committee investigated the different ways in which foreign agents might have infringed and subverted democratic processes in the EU and its member states, and in particular what digital means are and have been used to these purposes.

The Committee focused on:

  • 1. 
    an analysis of how rules for the financing of politcal campaigns and poltical parties are breached or circumvented through funding from third country actors, and whether national legislation in member states is sufficiently strict with respect to these rules
  • 2. 
    identifying measures that can be taken to increase transparancy with regard to how political content is placed and shared (through algorithms) on social media platforms, and to combat trolls, fake accounts and inciting violence or hatred
  • 3. 
    proposing measures to combat hybrid and cyber threats on an EU-level, specifically those targetting governmental actors, the military, the political sphere and journalism
  • 4. 
    an analysis to what degree the EU as a whole depends on foreign parties on maintaining and further developing critical (online) infrastructures with regard to facilitating democratic processses
  • 5. 
    proposing measures to actively counter information campaigns and strategic communication of malign third countries and their use of EU-based organisaties to do so in particular

The Committee will focus on both govermental actors as well as organisations and especially corporations that are active in this arena.

In February 2023, the Commmittee took on new tasks as a response to the recent corruption case in the European Parliament. The Committee is now also responsible for identifying shortcomings in the European Parliament's rules on transparency, integrity, anti-corruption and accountability. Additionally, the Committee is expected to propose reforms for the medium- and longer-term.

This Committee has a twelve-month mandate. Parliament can decide to extend the mandate. The Committee has 33 members. The Committee presented its final report in July 2023. The report lists dozens of measures to protect institutions and the democratic process.