During the plenary session in the European Parliament in Strasbourg (15-18 April 2019), MEPs debate on protecting the integrity of the European elections, with particular regard to international threats to cybersecurity. Statements by Julian KING, Member of the EC in charge of the Security Union, Danuta Maria HÜBNER (EPP, PL), Claude MORAES (S&D, UK), Anna Elżbieta FOTYGA (ECR, PL) and Pavel TELIČKA (ALDE, CZ).

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

MORAES, Claude (S&D, UK)

KING, Julian (UK, EC)

fight against cyber attacks (T)

HÜBNER, Danuta Maria (EPP, PL)

FOTYGA, Anna (ECR, PL)

TELIČKA, Pavel (ALDE, CZ)

2019 European elections (T)

Protecting the integrity of the European elections, with particular regard to international threats to cybersecurity: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (English), Julian KING, Member of the EC in charge of the Security Union, While some credible progress has been made in the area of political ad transparency, platforms still need to improve independent scrutiny. Through better access for fact checkers researchers and civil society to the data they need. We don't want the platforms to be marking their own homework. We want to see greater action against fake accounts and bots.

SOUNDBITE (English), Julian KING, Member of the EC in charge of the Security Union, One of the outstanding issues that we're dealing with the platforms in particular with Facebook, is Facebook its decision not to permit cross-border political advertising. I know that this has raised concerns in this house. We discussed this in the Conference of Presidents last week and I'm glad to say now that the Secretary-General of this institution, the Council and the Commission have written to Facebook setting out, again, our concerns very clearly, and asking that Facebook reconsider their approach in this area, as a matter of urgency.

SOUNDBITE (English), Danuta Maria H&#220;BNER (EPP, PL), To fight against cyber threats and ensure that the cyber environment is safe, we need a society wide approach as well as international cooperation. In this context amending European regulation on this statute and financing of European political parties and foundations, aiming at protecting the electoral process from online disinformation campaigns, based on misuse of voters personal data introducing financial sanctions on European political parties, or foundations, that infringe data protection rules deliberately, to influence or attempts to influence, the outcome of European elections as well as Commission's actions toward building a strong cybersecurity in Europe support and awareness at the level of the member states. All that can help citizens to make their political choices in fair secure and transparent elections.

SOUNDBITE (English), Claude MORAES (S&amp;D, UK), We're not talking just about free speech which is the most valuable thing that we're protecting. We're talking about interference in our sovereign elections by foreign powers. This is a proven issue in the 2016 Presidential election, a proven issue in the Brexit referendum, not make believe, but proven evidence. Now when that interference happens our whole democratic structure is unstable and many of the things like free speech and the things that we all dear are then made unstable.

SOUNDBITE (English), Anna El&#380;bieta FOTYGA (ECR, PL), Information techniques, technology and influence operations, have been used by Russia against the West for quite a long time already, including elections. What for? To undermine faith and confidence in democracy, to exacerbate existing divisions, to confuse truth and to amplify narratives that are friendly to Russia. Now, today, the third reading was completed in State Duma of the legal act isolating Russian internet from the rest of the world. What for? We have to learn as soon as possible. For the security of us as well as for security of Russian people.

SOUNDBITE (English), Pavel TELI&#268;KA (ALDE, CZ), I don't see the recognition on the side of a number of member states on different levels that we are facing the threat that some of the colleagues have already spoken about. Whether it is a question of European elections and the other elections, lives, I mean safety. I mean we do even see Trojan horses in the European Union. That is the reality. So I think it is fair to say that while we have managed to progress both on the legislation as well as what you have said with regard to our safety but also with regard to the European elections what we really need - and the Commission know some of your point of view on that because we were in a debate just some weeks ago - we need a real mindset change. Because this is a reality I mean we are confronting a war which is a lot against us. This is not by the means of arms but something as dangerous as that is.