External Strategy, Economic Security & Democratic Resilience

European Democracy Shield

Planned for Q4 2025.

It will harden democratic resilience by combining early detection of foreign information manipulation, coordinated analysis and rapid response across the Union. A new European Centre for Democratic Resilience will pool national expertise and capacities as the hub for monitoring, attribution and joint action with partners. The Shield will leverage the EU’s FIMI toolbox and the Digital Services Act, expand media- and digital-literacy efforts, and strengthen crisis communication to counter disinformation systematically. It complements a forthcoming Media Resilience Programme supporting independent journalism, and is anchored in upgrades to EU internal-security governance. Work will also address harmful social-media design and youth well-being through expert advice on safeguards and enforcement.

Team Europe Approach

Ongoing initiative.

Aligns the EU, Member States, the EIB/EBRD, agencies and the private sector to act as one, pooling finance, expertise and diplomacy for maximum impact. Born during COVID-19, it is now the default delivery model for international partnerships and Global Gateway. It coordinates over 160 Team Europe Initiatives and mobilised €179 billion in 2021–2023, underpinned by instruments such as the €40 billion EFSD+ guarantee and regular Global Gateway business fora, with governance via a Board, Business Advisory Group, and a Civil Society & Local Authorities platform. By joining up investments, reforms and standards, Team Europe scales high-standard projects worldwide and strengthens EU strategic influence.

Digitalisation of the Return Process

Planned for Q3 2026.

The Commission will table a dedicated initiative to digitalise Member States’ return case management, as part of a new common approach on returns. COM(2025) 101 sets a common return system and, in Art. 42(1)(d), makes national digital systems for return/readmission/reintegration a core component; a separate act will specify interoperability, once-only data flows and statistics. The Commission’s Political Guidelines commit to digitalising case management; von der Leyen’s 17 March letter signalled presentation by end-2025. A 2026 consultation under the Work Programme will prepare governance and implementation, aligning with SIS/Eurodac and digital-by-default delivery while ensuring uniform practice across the Union.

EU Foreign Policy Digital Priorities

Ongoing initiatives of the Commission.

The EU’s foreign-digital agenda links secure connectivity, frontier tech and democracy protection. It will back new Arctic/Black Sea/Central Asia routes and global IRIS² services to harden links with partners. It will launch joint work on emerging technologies (i.e. AI, quantum and semiconductors) to speed innovation with trusted countries. Cyber cooperation will deepen on resilience, UN norms and sanctions, while attribution expands to disinformation (FIMI). Trusted Digital Public Infrastructure will grow via EU-style eID wallets, e-signatures and interoperability. The EU will project its platform rulebook internationally under the DSA. A European Quantum International Cooperation Framework will align diplomacy and R&I around EuroQCI and quantum internet pilots.

EU Foreign Policy Instruments

Ongoing initiatives of the Commission.

The EU will continue to deploy its five-pillar toolbox: (1) Regional and bilateral digital cooperation such as Trade and Technology Councils, Digital Partnerships, and Digital Dialogues to embed digital governance in its strategic partnerships. (2) Enlargement and neighbourhood such as DCFTAs, SAAs and Growth Plans to integrate partners into the Digital Single Market and EU programmes. (3) FTAs and digital trade agreements to expand trusted digital trade. (4) International partnerships via the Global Gateway approach as well as Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships to mobilise investments and align standards. (5) Like-minded initiatives for joint quantum, HPC, semiconductor skills and AI Factory links in order to deepen cooperation globally.

European Armament Technological Roadmap

Planned for 2025.

The roadmap will steer dual-use innovation toward priority capabilities, aligning EU, national and private investment and setting milestones from research to deployment. In its first phase, it will concentrate on AI and quantum (together with cyber and electronic warfare) where advances can transform deterrence and interoperability. The Roadmap will couple tech scouting and testing with common standards and joint procurement pathways, linking to EDIP and the Defence Omnibus to cut fragmentation and speed uptake. It will mobilise EU innovation instruments, including the European Innovation Council and the forthcoming TechEU scale-up vehicle, to crowd in private capital and scale champions.

European Centre for Democratic Resilience

Planned for 2026.

The Centre will be the operational backbone of the European Democracy Shield, uniting national capabilities to detect, analyse and attribute foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI). It will pool open-source intelligence, media forensics and platform signals, provide rapid alerts and incident-response templates, and coordinate joint attribution with partners. The Centre will convene Member States and neighbouring countries, standardise methodologies, and channel support to independent media and media-literacy initiatives. By closing gaps between monitoring, policy action and sanctions, it will strengthen deterrence, help protect elections and debate, and build a European capacity against hybrid threats.

Foreign Investment Screening (FIS) Revision

The FIS revision will harden Europe’s economic security while keeping the EU open to investment. It requires every Member State to run a pre-closing screening regime and aligns scope, timelines and information via a single EU cooperation channel. Coverage extends to intra-EU deals made through EU subsidiaries controlled by non-EU parents, closing circumvention gaps. Notifications will focus on targets in Annex II high-risk areas and on projects/programmes of Union interest (Annex I). The system streamlines multi-country cases, preserves national decision-making, and ensures coherence with the EU Merger Regulation (Art. 21(4)), the Foreign Subsidies Regulation, NIS2 and the CER Directive. A 15-month transition, annual reporting and secure IT tools underpin implementation.

Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) Guidelines

Planned for January 2026.

The Commission will adopt the guidelines to clarify core concepts (e.g. how distortive effects will be assessed, how any benefits are balanced, and when the Commission may call in below-threshold mergers that threaten a level playing field). Enforcement will be more proactive, with ex officio investigations targeted at strategic sectors to deter subsidy-fuelled distortions before they scale. In parallel, the EU’s defensive toolbox will be tightened: the Commission stands ready to adjust tariffs within WTO-bound ceilings (including for environmental protection), use trade-defence instruments faster (shorter timelines, greater ex officio use), and explore further reforms of the TDI rulebook, ensuring open markets are matched by firm action against unfair subsidisation.

Global Gateway Strategy

Ongoing initiative.

The strategy will continued to be used to scale trusted digital, energy and transport links as the EU’s flagship investment offer, mobilising up to €300 billion by 2027 via Team Europe to de-risk private capital and deliver high standards. It prioritises secure connectivity (e.g. 5G, data centres and submarine routes in the Arctic, Black Sea and to partner regions) alongside space links like IRIS². Flagships include BELLA, MEDUSA and Blue-Raman cables, and Digital Economy Packages in Africa, with tailored investment packages for LAC and Central Asia. Governance couples business and civil society input to accelerate projects, skills and regulatory cooperation while reinforcing Europe’s strategic autonomy and partners’ economic resilience.

Media Resilience Programme

Planned for 2026.

The Commission will launch a Media Resilience Programme to shore up independent journalism and fight “news deserts.” It will finance local and investigative outlets, cross-border collaborations, safety of journalists, and media literacy, with a budget uplift in the next MFF. The programme will also mobilise private capital (using EU guarantees and blended-finance tools) to sustain viable business models for media and digital transition. It will work with the European Democracy Shield and the European Centre for Democratic Resilience to detect and counter disinformation and foreign interference, while strengthening pluralism, transparency, and citizens’ access to trustworthy information across EU languages.

New Pact for the Mediterranean

Announced for November 2025.

The EU will forge a new pact with Southern Neighbourhood partners, building on the 2021 Agenda, with a strong digital pillar to deepen political engagement and cooperation. Priorities include secure connectivity under Global Gateway (most visibly the MEDUSA submarine cable linking the northern and southern shores and boosting regional capacity) alongside resilient cable and satellite links. Cooperation will use Trade & Technology-style dialogues, Cyber Dialogues, and association to Horizon Europe and Digital Europe, embedded in tailor-made Comprehensive and Strategic Partnerships (e.g. Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan). Work will advance trusted 5G/cable security, skills and innovation, and gradual policy harmonisation supporting integration with EU digital rules where relevant.

Strategic EU-India Agenda

Europe have tabled a Strategic EU–India Agenda that elevates the partnership across five pillars: prosperity, technology, security, connectivity and enablers. It prioritises concluding an FTA and an Investment Protection Agreement, alongside Global Gateway investments and supply-chain de-risking via the EU–India TTC (chips, solar, APIs). It deepens digital cooperation (e.g. trusted data flows, secure 5G/6G and interoperable digital public infrastructures) and expands joint R&I in AI, HPC/quantum and space. A Security and Defence Partnership with a Security of Information Agreement will underpin maritime, cyber and hybrid resilience. Delivery will be steered by an annual summit, upgraded TTC, and an EU–India Business Forum.

Tech Business Offer

Announced on 5 June 2025.

The EU launched a Tech Business Offer to engage partners with modular packages that combine secure connectivity, digital public infrastructure, AI and other technologies. The Offer couples deployment with capacity-building, skills initiatives and promotion of energy- and resource-efficient solutions. Governed in a ‘Tech Team Europe’ setup, it will mobilise Member States, EU companies, development finance institutions and export credit agencies, with the D4D Hub and EU4Digital acting as facilitators and Informal Digital Hubs anchoring delivery in partner countries. Integrated with Digital Partnerships, trade tools and Global Gateway financing, it will tailor projects to mutual interests and strengthen value chains.