EU parties and Commission sign campaign rulebook against foreign interference, disinformation

All European political parties will sign on Tuesday (9 March) to a set of code of conduct rules, brokered by the European Commission, as part of broader efforts to shield June’s EU elections campaign from foreign interference and disinformation.  

Sources confirmed that the far-right ID group, which includes the French Rassemblement National and German AfD, joined the initiative at the last minute on Monday. 

The agreement, brokered by the Values and Transparency Commission vice-president Věra Jourová in the Berlaymont, is part of the Commission’s defence of democracy package and seeks to protect the EU’s elections from foreign interference and disinformation. 

Though it adds another layer of protection to the electoral campaign, implementation and monitoring remain the responsibility of the European parties.

All parties have pledged to “proactively avoid amplification of narratives lead by entities and actors outside the EU other than member parties, especially when those seek to erode European values,” the document reads. 

The text’s release follows the Qatargate scandal and, most recently, the Russiagate scandal, allegedly involving a member of the AfD, as well as Members of the European Parliament.

However, the commitments outlined in the code of conduct do not apply to national parties, which steer the campaign on the ground. 

The guidelines will only affect the communications from the umbrella European parties, which include the left (EL), socialists (PES), centre right (EPP), liberals (ALDE), conservatives (ECR), greens (EGP), and far-right (ID). 

According to the mediator in the negotiations appointed by the Commission, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA),  parties demanded to ease monitoring requirements, arguing they lack the administrative capabilities to enforce the code of conduct upon their national member parties and affiliated organisations. 

“We had to make a couple of changes to accommodate that administrative capacity that a lot of these parties just felt was a lot to ask for,” Sam van der Staak, Director for Europe at IDEA, told Euractiv. 

Instead, European parties can only advise their national members to sign up for the code of conduct.

Labelling artificial intelligence-created content

As part of a set of commitments preventing misinformation, the parties are also pledging to label any AI-generated content while using watermarking for such content “is encouraged.”

Parties are also committing to abstain from disseminating “unfounded accusations” against other parties, including “any type of deceptive content.”

In February, EU lawmakers agreed on a new political advertisement rulebook for elections, but most of it will only enter into force after June’s EU elections.

In an attempt to limit misinformation spreading on online platforms and social media, the EU executive published in March non-binding guidelines to address elections’ digital risks, including deep fakes.

It is up to the parties to enforce

The code of conduct is a symbolic step, as it is the first time all parties have come together to sign such an agreement. However, it lacks independent oversight or enforcement. 

“I call on the political parties to stick to their commitment to ethical and fair campaigning in the coming months,” said Commission vice-president Jourová in a press statement.

It is up to the parties themselves to “promote independent observation of the commitments” and to “conduct a post-election review and continue the discussion between and within European political parties after the European Parliament elections,” the document reads, urging party officials to “promote compliance among campaign staff.”

“This collective commitment of the European political parties sends a powerful message to citizens: we need to uphold the integrity of our elections in Europe,” added Jourová.

[Edited by Aurélie Pugnet/Rajnish Singh]

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