The European Commission will host four days of events in Brussels from 22 to 25 June focused on democracy, democratic resilience and technology, as it continues rolling out its European Democracy Shield initiative.
The programme begins on 22 and 23 June with an EU Civic Tech Hackathon bringing together researchers, civil society representatives and software developers from across Europe, the Commission announced on Monday.
Participants will showcase digital tools designed to support democratic participation and contribute to the launch of a European Civic Tech Hub.
A joint meeting of two European Cooperation Network on Elections working groups will follow on 23 June, with sessions on “AI in Elections” and “Safety in Politics”.
The meeting will feed into planned Commission guidance on responsible use of artificial intelligence in electoral processes, and into an upcoming Commission recommendation and a dedicated guide on safety in politics.
High-level meeting to cover disinformation and candidate safety
On 24 June, a high-level event will bring together representatives from EU member states, civil society, academia, the private sector and EU institutions to take stock of work under the European Democracy Shield.
Commissioner McGrath is due to deliver a keynote speech at the event.
Discussions at the 24 June meeting are expected to cover efforts to counter disinformation and foreign information manipulation and interference, the responsible use of AI in elections, and ways to support the safety of political candidates and elected representatives.
The agenda also includes media resilience, the role of professional media, and methods of citizen participation in democratic debates and public policymaking.
The series will conclude on 25 June with the first meeting of a new Network of national authorities on citizens participation, bringing together representatives from member states to exchange experiences and identify shared priorities.
The network will focus on local-level participation, youth empowerment and intergenerational dialogue, and will provide practical support and tools to national authorities.
