Download "Resilience to foreign information 
manipulation and interference (FIMI) - Case studies in Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans and Türkiye" 

The European Audiovisual Observatory has just published its latest legal report: “Resilience to foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) - Case studies in Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans and Türkiye”, authored by Andrei Richter of Comenius University, Bratislava.

Disinformation campaigns are intensifying across Europe, threatening the very tissue of our democracy. This timely report explores how the European Union and the Council of Europe are developing comprehensive policies, legal frameworks and on-the-ground initiatives to counteract foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI).

“The manipulation of information is one of the defining challenges of our era. This report offers a clear overview of how the EU and its partners are building resilience – not only through regulation but also through education, cooperation and media empowerment,” said Maja Cappello, Head of the Observatory’s Department for Legal Information.

The opening chapter sets the stage with a concise introduction to the concept of FIMI – as defined by the EU’s European External Action Service – and examines how this form of information manipulation threatens democratic processes and social cohesion. The author goes on to explain the blurred lines between foreign and domestic interference, thus offering insight into the growing complexity of hybrid information threats in Europe’s eastern regions.

This chapter also charts the geopolitical context of FIMI, from the ongoing impact of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine to the vulnerabilities faced by the Western Balkans and the Black Sea region. It underlines the EU’s evolving approach to resilience as a core component of its enlargement and neighbouring country policies.

The second chapter dives into the European legal and policy architecture that forms the basis of efforts to counter FIMI. It traces the evolution from the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights to modern measures such as the Digital Services Act, the European Democracy Action Plan, and the landmark European Media Freedom Act (EMFA).

This chapter also highlights the creation of the FIMI Toolbox, a comprehensive set of EU instruments aimed at boosting situational awareness, resilience building, and international cooperation. It also explains how the EMFA distinguishes between “quality” and “rogue” media, offering new safeguards for editorial independence and pluralism while strengthening Europe’s collective response to disinformation.

Building on this framework, chapter three showcases the Council of Europe’s longstanding role in defending media freedom and countering disinformation. It highlights major Council initiatives such as the Information Disorder report, Parliamentary Assembly resolutions on online media and propaganda, and the Recommendation on promoting a favourable environment for quality journalism in the digital age.

Together, these texts reaffirm the principle that resilience to manipulation depends on independent, trustworthy media and a well-informed public.

The final chapter brings theory to life through vivid case studies from Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans, and Türkiye. It documents how EU-funded initiatives are supporting civil society, independent media, and fact-checkers in countries such as Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, and Türkiye.

From the FACT hub in Ukraine and Moldova to SAFIMI Georgia and Resilient Media for Informed Citizens in Moldova, these projects illustrate Europe’s multi-layered response to FIMI. This structured approach combines research, training, public awareness, and local cooperation. Indeed, each initiative shows how information integrity can be strengthened through regional collaboration and shared democratic values.

The report concludes that Europe’s resilience to FIMI will depend on a balanced approach: combining legal safeguards, international coordination, and grassroots empowerment. The author calls for continued vigilance, cross-sector collaboration, and sustained investment in media literacy and independent journalism across wider Europe.