About
Democracy on the European continent is under attack. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is a war against democracy itself. Our democracy cannot be taken for granted. It must be nurtured and taken care of every day. This is what the von der Leyen Commission has strived for since the start of its mandate.
Europe’s strength lies in its unity, and this unity is based on our shared democratic values: our commitment to fundamental human rights; the protection of a free and independent press; upholding the rule of law; and equality between women and men, rural and urban, young and old.
Democracies must be worked on and renewed every single day, and this requires citizens to be empowered to speak up. The Conference on the Future of Europe, which concluded on 9 May 2022, has empowered citizens to shape the future of our European Union. The Commission has listened, and is now focused on delivering on their proposals.
12 December 2023 – In democratic and open societies, everyone can freely express themselves, fully participate, and enjoy their rights and freedoms. However, there is a growing concern in the EU that the openness of our societies can be exploited by foreign governments. For this reason, the Commission has put forward new measures to ensure transparency of foreign interest representation, strengthen electoral processes in the EU, and ensure citizens and civil society organisations can participate in policymaking.
Key figures from the Conference on the Future of Europe
European citizens' panels
European citizens participating in transnational panels to make recommendations to the EU on key issues
Conference on the Future of Europe
Empowering citizens to share ideas and help shape our common future
Equality and inclusion
Building a Union of Equality, free of discrimination based on gender, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation
The EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child
Ensuring the protection of rights of all children
Protecting democracy
Promoting free and fair elections, strengthening media freedom and countering disinformation
Rule of Law Mechanism
Promoting the rule of law, and preventing and mitigating emerging challenges
European Media Freedom Act
Protecting media pluralism and independence in the EU
Long-term vision for rural areas
Developing stronger, connected, resilient and prosperous rural areas and communities
Timeline
- 8 February 2024
Political agreement on the European Disability and Parking Cards
- 6 February 2024
Political agreement on new rules to combat violence against women and domestic violence
- 24 January 2024
Political agreement on the European Media Freedom Act
- 24 January 2024
- 12 December 2023
Defence of democracy: The Commission proposes to shed light on covert foreign influence
- 30 November 2023
Political agreement on countering abusive lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP)
- 7 November 2023
Political agreement on transparency of political advertising regulation
- 11 October 2023
- 12 July 2023
The Commission proposes an initiative to strengthen the rights of victims of crime
- 6 July 2023
The Commission presents the 2023 Strategic Foresight Report
- 5 July 2023
The Commission publishes its fourth annual Rule of Law Report
- 8 June 2023
- 31 May 2023
- 3 May 2023
Anti-corruption: Stronger rules to fight corruption in the EU and worldwide
- 5 April 2023
The Commission adopts a proposal for a Regulation on the transfer of criminal proceedings between Member States
- 7 March 2023
The European Parliament and the Member States reach a political agreement on the European Year of Skills
- 17 January 2023
Commission announces plans to ensure talent is nourished and launches the ‘Talent Booster Mechanism'.
- 16 December 2022
First European Citizens' Panel as a follow-up to the Conference on the Future of Europe
- 12 October 2022
Commission kick-starts work on the European Year of Skills
- 19 September 2022
- 16 September 2022
- 13 July 2022
- 21 June 2022
The Commission presents the 2022 Strategic Foresight Report
- 28 April 2022
- 1 January 2022
- 9 December 2021
- 25 November 2021
- 8 September 2021
The Commission presents the 2021 Strategic Foresight Report
- 20 July 2021
- 30 June 2021
- 17 June 2021
- 29 April 2021
- 24 March 2021
- 4 March 2021
- 27 January 2021
- 3 December 2020
- 13 November 2020
- 12 November 2020
- 30 September 2020
- 18 September 2020
- 9 September 2020
- 17 June 2020
- 24 June 2020
- 24 June 2020
- 5 March 2020
Policy areas
Demography
Looking at the main drivers of demographic change and their impact across Europe
Combatting discrimination
Tackling racism, xenophobia and discrimination on the grounds of age, sexual orientation and gender identity
Countering disinformation
Detecting, analysing and exposing disinformation
Combatting hate speech and hate crime
Building a more inclusive and protective Europe
Have your say on Commission initiatives
Share your views as citizens and businesses on new EU policies and existing laws