12 EU countries have urged the European Commission to take action against election interference by accelerating ongoing investigations under the EU Digital Services Act (DSA).
The European Commission confirmed on Friday that it has received a letter, seen by Euractiv, from 12 EU member states asking them to take ”definitive action” against any election interference.
Among the signatories is Germany – whose national authorities are today conducting a ‘stress test’ of online platforms’ ability to handle disinformation ahead of federal elections on 23 February.
The ministers are asking the Commission to urgently safeguard European elections by ”accelerating ongoing investigations” under the DSA – the EU’s content moderation law.
A Commission spokesperson told Euractiv a response would be sent in due course, but that ongoing DSA investigations would be maintained at current speed, as per due process.
Several investigations are open under the DSA, including into Meta and TikTok. But the crucial one has been against Elon Musk’s X, which the Commission expanded this month amid concerns that Musk is boosting posts on the platform to amplify disinformation before the German elections. The move came soon after Musk used the site to host an interview with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) leader, Alice Weidel.
The letter was co-signed by the countries’ European affairs ministers and addressed to the Commission’s tech chief Henna Virkkunen and Justice Commissioner Michael McGrath.
EU countries are free to take election safeguarding measures under national law. The German digital services coordinator BNetza – responsible for DSA enforcement in the country – told Euractiv last week that they would wait for the Commission’s assessment before triggering the law’s crisis response mechanism, rather than do so unilaterally.
*Magnus Lund Nielsen contributed reporting.
[OM]