This briefing provides background information for the members of the Special committee on the European Democracy Shield (EUDS) on election infrastructure vulnerabilities to foreign interference and on corresponding countermeasures. The briefing focuses on the criticality of election infrastructure and on safeguarding electoral integrity, also in light of the approach set out in the Commission’s Communication on the European Democracy Shield. Moreover, the paper considers the role of private sector election interference services. The briefing begins with an introduction to the different components of election infrastructure and general information on the conduct of elections. It continues with an overview of the election infrastructure interference threat landscape, taking the findings of the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) into account. It then examines recommendations provided by the European Cooperation Network on Elections to mitigate these threats. Next, the briefing presents a section on critical infrastructure legislation and on the measures outlined in the European Democracy Shield to protect election infrastructure. This briefing has been prepared internally by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for Justice, Civil Liberties and Institutional Affairs at the request of the EUDS Committee Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP Read more