Code of conduct on disinformation : [as amended in October 2024]

Following the European Commission Guidance on Strengthening the Code of Practice on Disinformation the European Commission Communication on the European Democracy Action Plan the European Commission Communication "Tackling online disinformation: a European approach, the Council Conclusions of 28 June 2018, and the various important initiatives taking place across Europe to address the challenges posed by the dissemination of disinformation, the Signatories of the present Code of Practice (the "Code") recognise their role in contributing to the fight against Disinformation, which for the rest of the Code is considered to include misinformation, disinformation , information influence operations and foreign interference in the information space ("Disinformation"). The Signatories recognise and agree with the European Commission's conclusions that "[t]he exposure of citizens to large scale Disinformation, including misleading or outright false information, is a major challenge for Europe," and that "our open democratic societies depend on public debates that allow well-informed citizens to express their will through free and fair political processes. c. As stressed in the Communication, fundamental rights must be fully respected in all the actions taken to fight Disinformation. The Signatories are mindful of the fundamental right to freedom of expression, freedom of information, and privacy, and of the delicate balance that must be struck between protecting fundamental rights and taking effective action to limit the spread and impact of otherwise lawful content. All of the Commitments and Measures herein should be interpreted and implemented in accordance with EU rules on fundamental rights, and, in situations where fundamental rights may conflict, in accordance with the principle of proportionality.