Members of the European Parliament Recommend Ban on TikTok

The Parliament calls for a coordinated strategy to increase the EU’s resilience to external interference and information manipulation and to protect the European elections in 2024.

Members believe that there will be an increase in external interference and attacks on democracy that will also become increasingly sophisticated ahead of the European Parliament elections in June 2024. This warning is stated in the report of the Special Committee on Foreign Interference in all Democratic Processes in the European Union, including disinformation, adopted at the plenary session with 469 votes in favor, 71 against, and 75 abstentions, according to a statement from the European Parliament.

Members also highlighted disruptions on online platforms, protection of critical infrastructure and strategic sectors, disruptions during electoral processes, covert financing of political activities coming from foreign actors, and resilience to cyberattacks. The report specifically addresses Russian and Chinese interference in the European Union, in countries seeking to join the EU, including the Western Balkans, and countries of the Global South.

Interference in Electoral Processes

The Parliament condemned the dangerous phenomenon of paid disinformation when disinformation services are offered to government and non-government actors, for example on the dark web, to attack electoral processes. To prevent the entry of prohibited transactions from third countries into the Union’s political system, members are calling on the Commission to facilitate the tracking of donations and urge member states to urgently address the issue of donations that national political parties receive from third countries.

Critical Infrastructure

Members also highlight the risk of economic dependence, espionage, and sabotage in the event that foreign companies gain influence over the EU’s critical infrastructure. They added that Chinese shipping companies have acquired a majority or significant stake in more than 20 European ports. Members also recommended a ban on TikTok at all levels of national governments and European institutions, urging the Council and the Commission to cease the use of equipment and software from manufacturers in high-risk countries, particularly from China and Russia, such as ByteDance, Huawei, ZTE, Kaspersky, NtechLab, and Nuctech.

Coordinated EU Strategy

The Parliament calls for a coordinated EU strategy that will include new initiatives as well as better implementation of existing provisions. It also calls for appropriate funding to combat disinformation and preserve democratic processes. Members demand that the Commission develop an effective package for the defense of democracy and laws to combat hybrid threats, taking into account the proposals of the Conference on the Future of Europe. Additionally, they call for the establishment of a permanent body in the European Parliament to monitor and combat foreign interference.

By adopting this report, the Parliament responds to the expectations of EU citizens regarding a stronger fight against foreign interference and disinformation, online threats, and propaganda in an objective and factual manner – as stated in proposals 23(5), 27, 28(2), 33(4), 37(4), 46(2) of the conclusions of the Conference on the Future of Europe.

– Foreign interference in democratic processes is an increasing threat to the security of EU member states and the Union as a whole, especially in the context of rapid technological development and the Russian war in Ukraine. We must act urgently and quickly implement our recommendations. Significant and sustained investment in our democratic resilience is needed, relying on the experiences of our partners such as Ukraine and Taiwan – stated rapporteur Sandra Kalniete (EPP, Latvia).