European Commission

Purpose

The European Commission is the operational heart of the EU’s commitment to democratic resilience. As both policymaker and programme manager, it shapes how media and information integrity are supported across Europe and globally. Yet the Commission’s structures mirror the Union’s dual mandate: advancing democracy and stability abroad while safeguarding rule of law, pluralism, and information integrity within its own borders.

This chapter is divided into two parts reflecting that duality:

• Internationally-focused DGs — including DG INTPA, DG NEAR/ENEST, DG MENA, DG ECHO and the EEAS — which integrate media support into external action, development cooperation, and crisis response.

• EU-focused DGs — including DG CONNECT, DG JUST, and the Secretariat-General — which anchor information integrity, media pluralism, and digital-market regulation within the EU’s internal governance and policy frameworks.

Why this matters

The Commission’s directorates together determine whether media and information integrity are treated as strategic priorities or secondary concerns. When their actions are aligned, the EU can mobilise the full range of its instruments — from Creative Europe to Global Europe, from competition law to the Digital Services Act — to reinforce independent journalism as a core component of Europe’s democratic and security infrastructure.

How this section is organised

Each sub-section outlines the mandates, opportunities, and coordination challenges specific to the DGs in question, followed by practical recommendations and checklists derived from field consultations and OECD Principles 1–6. Taken together, they show how the Commission can move from fragmented support to a whole-of-system approach that treats journalism and information integrity not as niche concerns, but as cross-cutting enablers of the EU’s economic strength, security, and democratic credibility.