Announced as one of the European Commission's major priorities for 2025, the European Democracy Shield remains as yet a nebulous idea. The Commission has communicated that the Shield will counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference and work to strengthen the fairness and integrity of elections, to increase situational awareness and to reinforce citizens’ participation and engagement. This is not the first EU initiative designed to protect European democracy, but the European Democracy Shield could 'join the dots' across the existing constellation of action plans, policies and legislation and introduce new laws to protect the EU against growing external threats. 

Already, many actors from across the EU institutions and wider society have expressed their intentions to be involved in shaping the Shield. This publication highlights the key actors involved and the roles they could play in forging the European Democracy Shield.