The next European Commission needs a dedicated portfolio to combat disinformation as Russian President Vladimir Putin uses it as a weapon to weaken democracy by stoking mistrust of the EU, Eugen Toma, Romanian MEP and President of the People’s Movement Party (EPP), said at an event organised by Euractiv’s partner HotNews.

At the event, Tomac argued that having a Commissioner whose portfolio focuses on disinformation is especially critical as disinformation, primarily emanating from Russia, erodes democracy on a daily basis.

Legislation is currently “very fragile” in all member states, Tomac said, arguing that a proactive approach is needed to halt the rise of anti-EU sentiment fuelled by politicians aligned with Kremlin interests.

Speaking at the event organised HotNews, the Romanian MEP stressed the ease with which extremist political entities use disinformation tactics, while governments remain “powerless due to the lack of immediate response mechanisms”.

In contrast, MEP Ramona Strugariu, of the pro-EU Renewing Romania’s European Project party said that the EU has the necessary tools to fight disinformation – noting, however, that they need to be used effectively and in accordance with the democratic principles that govern the EU.

“If we imagine that we will fight disinformation with the same anti-democratic means that they use, we are mistaken,” she said.

Strugariu points to existing legal instruments, such as the Digital Market Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA), as well as the forthcoming European Press Freedom Act, which can be used to combat disinformation.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, disinformation and propaganda – referred to in the report as “foreign information manipulation and interference” (FIMI) – was identified as “the second biggest risk facing the world this year”.

The EU report examined more than 750 disinformation attacks between December 2022 and November last year, involving the strategic dissemination of false stories and the harassment of legitimate sources to undermine the trust in public institutions and sow hatred against nations and groups of people.

(Cătălina Mihai | Euractiv.ro)

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