C 152/72
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
6.4.2022
III (Preparatory acts)
EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 565TH EESC PLENARY SESSION – INTERACTIO, 8.12.2021–9.12.2021
Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions European Commission Guidance on Strengthening the Code of Practice on Disinformation’ [COM(2021) 262 final] (2022/C 152/11)
Rapporteur: Thierry LIBAERT
Referral
European Commission, 1.7.2021
Legal basis
Article 304 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union
Section responsible
Single Market, Production and Consumption
Adopted in section
18.11.2021
Adopted at plenary
9.12.2021
Plenary session No
565
Outcome of vote (for/against/abstentions)
198/3/6
1.
Conclusions and recommendations 1.1.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) recognises both the quality of the guidance on strengthening the European Code of Practice on Disinformation and the European Commission’s determination to constantly improve its action against disinformation. 1.2.
The EESC recommends that the European Commission continuously ensure that the fight against disinformation cannot be used as a pretext for limiting public freedoms, in particular freedom of expression. 1.3.
The EESC recommends that action to combat disinformation be given high priority, by focusing more on tackling the emergence of disinformation rather than on moderating its content.
This would encourage a more preventive and proactive approach, which requires more resources, particularly for skills. 1.4.
The EESC welcomes the European Commission’s emphasis on countering the monetisation of disinformation.
It recommends that, in addition to voluntary commitments by online advertisers, the Commission should consider a range of more binding economic, legal or financial instruments. 1.5.
The EESC recommends ongoing and determined discussions with digital platforms, specifically with a view to clarifying and advancing methodologies for processing information.
Facebook is particularly relevant here, not least because 78 % of the EU population — more than 300 million Europeans — are users of it.