Why install Resilience Councils (RCs)?
Resilience Councils are essential to democratise dealing with Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) since RCs:
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Promote transparency: they involve citizens and stakeholders in decision-making.
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Encourage inclusivity: they ensure that diverse societal perspectives are represented, thereby reducing marginalisation.
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Mitigate distrust: they address perceptions of human rights violations and prioritise citizen well-being.
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Reduce polarisation: they foster a dialogue to counter divisive narratives.
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Enhance societal resilience: they empower citizens to feel seen, heard, and valued.
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Improve adaptability: they leverage diverse insights for evolving FIMI threats.
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Strengthen accountability: they distribute responsibilities to minimise bias.
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Foster legitimacy: they reinforce the European Democracy Shield initiative as well as the DSA.
What do Resilience Councils do?
RCs focus on four primary tasks:
Task 1: Identify FIMI campaigns
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Identify: detect ongoing or emerging campaigns.
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Classify: categorise campaigns by type and scope.
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Grade: assess their impact and urgency.
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Report: share structured findings to all stakeholders.
Task 2: Develop responses to FIMI campaigns
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Decide: determine the most appropriate actions.
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Recommend: propose actionable strategies.
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Coordinate: oversee implementation with stakeholders.
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Evaluate: assess intervention effectiveness.
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Redress: mitigate unintended consequences.
Task 3: Formulate advice on FIMI strategy, StratCom, InfoOps
Task 4: Coordinate initiatives to enlarge citizen resilience
Preconditions for effective execution
To ensure RC success, the following must be in place:
Legal framework
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Legislation and statutes supporting RC operations.
Defined responsibilities
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Clear task descriptions for RCs.
Decision-making mechanisms
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Harvest the insights of both fact-speaking perspectives and belief-speaking perspectives by means of initiatives like Interdemocracy.
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Proceed from 'is' to 'ought'.
Quality control measures
Task 1:
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Standardised identification processes.
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Adherence to established standards.
Task 2 and 3:
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Expertise requirements for members.
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Integrity requirements for members.
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Competence and integrity testing mechanisms.
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Training modules by initiatives like the European Master of countering Disinformation (EMoD).
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Practical accountability processes for RCs and members.
Task 4:
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Clear concept definitions.
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Measurable goals.
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Standardised measurement mechanisms.
