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RES PUBLICA FOUNDATION

RES PUBLICA

Res Publica Foundation is a non-partisan think tank with over 30 years of Polish and European policy-relevant forward looking research, publishing and project management experience in CEE.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Daniel Freund (Member of the European Parliament)

13 Nov 2025 · Democracy Shield and Civil Society

Meeting with Michał Wawrykiewicz (Member of the European Parliament)

4 Nov 2025 · Support for civil society and NGOs

Response to European Democracy Shield

26 May 2025

Drawing from the Visegrad Insight Res Publica Foundations EU Values Foresight project, this brief outlines key recommendations to operationalize the EUDS, informed by 2025 workshops and public events across Central and Eastern Europe. Read the full text in the attachment. 1. Establish a Cross-EU Democratic Resilience Council Create a permanent advisory council comprising CSO representatives, academics, and policymakers to exchange best practices, monitor democratic malpractice, and provide evidence-based advice to EU institutions. This aligns with the European Democracy Action Plan (EDAP, 2020) and the Defence of Democracy Package (2023), enhancing participatory governance and cross-border learning. The council should screen CSO actions against EEAS FIMI methodologies to ensure funding eligibility under the Citizens, Equality, Rights, and Values (CERV) programme, supported by TEU Article 11s mandate for citizen engagement. 2. Strengthen Electoral Integrity through CSO-Led Monitoring Support CSOs in monitoring elections, detecting FIMI and domestic malpractice, and boosting voter participation, especially in enlargement countries. This protects electoral integrity, a focus of the Defence of Democracy Package, as seen in Romanias 2024 election interference. Fund CSO-led observation missions and digital tools via CERV, backed by TEU Article 21s global democracy promotion mandate and the 2018 Electoral Package. 3. Expand CERV Funding Increase CERV funding from 0.15% to 0.5% of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), including grants for CSO watchdog activities. Establish a dedicated EU Democracy Resilience Fund for institutional support and rapid-response mechanisms for CSOs under threat. Allocate funds for with screening to align with EU values, supported by the Charter of Fundamental Rights (Articles 11 and 12). 4. Develop Civic Defence and Media Literacy Programmes Launch EU-wide civilian defence training and media literacy curricula, implemented by CSOs funded by the EU, targeting youth and marginalized communities. Fund it via Erasmus+ and Creative Europe, integrating AI literacy, with legal backing from TEU Article 165 and the EU Preparedness Strategy 2025. 5. Promote a Democracy Deep Tech Strategy Create a European digital public infrastructure to support public-interest AI tools for disinformation detection, reducing reliance on third-country tech. Fund CSOs and startups via Horizon Europe to develop ethical AI, complying with the AI Act (2024), enhancing strategic autonomy per EEAS FIMI reports. 6. Foster CSO and Political Actors Interaction Promote regular dialogues between CSOs, political parties, and EU institutions to co-create policies, using strategic foresight to counter autocratic narratives. Fund platforms via CERV and Creative Europe, ensuring inclusivity, supported by TEU Article 11(2). 7. Enforce and Expand Regulatory Frameworks Ensure full implementation of the DSA, Digital Markets Act (DMA), and AI Act, proposing a Digital Fairness Act to regulate algorithms and influencer content. Empower CSOs to monitor compliance via CERV grants, aligning with EDAP goals and DSA (2022) mandates. 8. Protect Media Pluralism Expand support for public-interest media as democratic infrastructure, addressing economic vulnerabilities, SLAPPs, and digital trends. Provide monitoring, institutional, and emergency funding via CERV. Added Value and Risks The EUDS can empower citizens, foster cross-border innovation, enhance strategic autonomy, and integrate CSOs into a holistic defence while boosting economic competitiveness. Risks include polarisation effects of the new policy. Consequences of inaction: Without EUDS, the EU risks fragmented democracy promotion, weakened electoral integrity, and vulnerability to autocratic interference, reducing democratic institutions to facades. Coordination failures could invite foreign meddling, necessitating significant MFF budget allocation for enforcement and CSO support.
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Meeting with Thomas Schmitz (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen)

21 Mar 2025 · Democracy Shield

Meeting with Simona Constantin (Cabinet of Commissioner Michael McGrath)

5 Dec 2024 · Exchange of views on the Democracy Shield