European cooperation network on elections

The Working Group on Election Integrity was established within the European Cooperation Network on Elections  to further support Member States in their efforts to ensure free, fair, inclusive and resilient elections, in the context of the rapidly evolving information and threat landscape impacting the integrity of elections. Building on the Commission’s 2023 Recommendation on inclusive and resilient electoral processes, it primarily aims to follow up on the Checklist on the integrity of elections and the Risk-management matrix for elections,  including by identifying relevant standards, collecting and sharing information and good practices and developing operational tools and products. The working group will also contribute to the development of the European repository of common references and standards for electoral processes announced by the European Democracy Shield.

The Working Group on Political Campaigning was established within the European Cooperation Network on Elections to deepen exchanges on the transparency, integrity, and accountability of political campaigning. This working group aims to discuss the different means and channels for political outreach, with a particular emphasis on new campaigning methods and national regulatory approaches. It also allows for concrete exchanges on funding in politics, including anonymous donations and cryptocurrency, building on ongoing efforts to implement and follow up on key EU policies and frameworks, such as the Political Advertising Regulation, the 2023 Commission Recommendation on inclusive and resilient elections, the new Directive on combating corruption and the EU’s anti-money laundering framework.

The Working Group on Safety in Politicswithin the European Cooperation Network on Elections (ECNE) is dedicated to the facilitation of the exchange of best practices and cooperation among Member States to address threats to political actors. It supports the joint development of collective tools and products for safety in political life across Europe.

Safety in Politics is a key initiative under the European Democracy Shield, adopted in November 2025. The Commission works, within the framework of the ECNE and in close consultation with relevant stakeholders, on the preparation of a dedicated guide of best practices and support capacity-building, practical support, collection of data and voluntary commitments (e.g. pledges and codes of conduct) and ethical standards in this field. Particular attention is paid across this workstream to women and other groups at heightened risk of discrimination, and to the situation of local politicians.

Grounded in a whole-of-society approach, this work aims to foster a secure and inclusive democratic environment, ensuring that political engagement remains accessible and safe for all.