Usagevpn.com – The EU diplomatic arm under fire for withdrawing its backing for a disinformation conference in Vilnius is facing criticism from lawmakers and civil society groups. The European External Action Service (EEAS) removed its logo from conference material shortly before the event after saying the programme did not reflect EU positions.
The decision concerned a conference organised by the NGO EU DisinfoLab, taking place on Wednesday and Thursday in Vilnius, Lithuania. It is one of the few European-level events where researchers, civil society organisations and private-sector representatives discuss disinformation.
EEAS criticised over last-minute withdrawal
Christian Wigand, the EU’s lead spokesperson for foreign affairs, said the EEAS had asked for its logo to be removed because of the programme’s content. “The organisers chose to frame some of the discussions in a way which does not align with the positions held by the EU,” he said.
Critics say the EU diplomatic arm under fire has failed to explain which parts of the programme conflicted with EU policy. They argue that pulling support from an NGO-led event risks undermining the European Democracy Shield, the framework intended to protect civil society and journalists from government pressure and foreign interference.
“Pressuring European governments to drop a disinformation conference to hide its own role in spreading disinformation is not diplomacy. It is foreign interference, and Europe should call it that,” said MEP Alexandra Geese of Germany’s Greens/EFA.
Canada and Lithuania also requested that their logos be removed after pressure from the US State Department, Euronews can confirm. Domen Savic, co-founder of the NGO Državljan D, described the late withdrawal as irresponsible and said it suggested a lack of commitment to tackling disinformation.
US role in foreign interference debate
The programme includes a panel entitled “USA as a FIMI threat: acknowledge, adapt, push back”, with two researchers and Alex Finley, a former CIA official. FIMI is EU shorthand for foreign information manipulation and interference.
The EEAS’s latest report on FIMI, published in March, identified China and Russia as hostile actors carrying out such operations in Europe, but did not mention the United States. MEP Brando Benifei of Italy’s S&D group said the EU diplomatic arm under fire should provide a full explanation for its decision, questioning how the Vilnius discussions could be so far from the EU’s stated position.
MEP Kim van Sparrentak of the Netherlands’ Greens/EFA said the Commission must be able to recognise possible US interference. The decision was reportedly taken at a very high level within EU institutions and surprised officials working directly on the issue.
A few days before the conference, right-wing US commentator Michael Shellenberger emailed several speakers to ask about government funding, their sessions and contacts with the US State Department or other agencies. Others, however, argue that Brussels should avoid disputes with Washington because transatlantic unity remains important in confronting Russia and other hostile actors.
“When it comes to FIMI, the EU should remain firmly focused on the threat posed by Russia and other hostile actors. Full stop,” said MEP Tomas Tobé of Sweden’s EPP group.
FAQ: What the Vilnius conference dispute means
What did the EEAS do?
The EEAS withdrew use of its logo from the EU DisinfoLab conference material shortly before the event, saying aspects of the programme did not align with EU positions.
Why is the decision controversial?
Critics believe the move could discourage open discussion about foreign information manipulation and interference, particularly at a conference focused on disinformation and civil society.
What is FIMI?
FIMI means foreign information manipulation and interference. It refers to efforts by foreign actors to influence information environments and public debate.
