The European Commission has approved a draft European directive on foreign agents, dubbed the Democracy Protection Package (DDP), which will oblige all interest representatives of non-EU states to register with the EU transparency register.
A document published on the European Commission’s website states:
“Today the European Commission approved the “package for the protection of democracy” on the eve of the 2024 European elections. Structures representing the interests of third countries, must be registered in the EU Transparency Register. EU countries will be instructed to create appropriate national registers for these purposes.”
According to Věra Jourová, deputy head of the European Commission for European Values and Transparency, the directive is not a law on foreign agents, but serves as “measures to protect democratic norms of transparency”. It is pointed out that 81 per cent of respondents to a recent EU survey agree that foreign interference in democratic systems is a serious problem.
The European Parliament elections for which the directive was adopted will take place 6-9 June 2024.
