EPPC 2026
Warsaw, Poland
Building a Resilient Union – Defending Democracy Against Hybrid Threats in the EU
25.04. - 26.04.2026 | Warsaw, Poland
The European Union stands at a pivotal point. Confronted with the challenge of asserting itself as a major global player in an ever-evolving threat landscape, the resilience of its democratic systems faces mounting pressure. Since Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine, Russia has intensified hybrid-attacks on European nations. Ranging from election interference, misinformation campaigns and cyberattacks to critical infrastructure, foreign interference seeks to undermine the stability of Member States and weakenthe EU as a whole. In response, the 2026 European Public Policy Conference will serve as a platform for dialogue and collaboration to strengthen the EU’s collective resilience for a more united and secure future.
Across the EU: Strengthening Democratic Resilience from Within
Before President Ursula von der Leyen declared that European democracy was under attack, member states had been navigating the hybrid threat landscape for some time. Foreign information manipulation and interference, cyberattacks, and undeclared funding schemes risk undercutting democratic health across the region, and caused Romania’s Constitutional Court to annul last year’s election. In response, the European Democracy Shield initiative was launched to protect and strengthen Democracy’s key pillars.
Building on the initiative, this session will explore ways to strengthen democratic resilience through a comprehensive whole-of-society approach. It will address both electoral integrity and societal resilience by considering freedom of the press and a vibrant civil society.
In the Information Space: Improving Europe’s Digital Integrity Framework
Over the last decade, information space has become a battleground for political and geostrategic influence. The European Union is no exception. Increasing attacks on democratic integrity, originating both within the region and beyond, demand actionable policies for deterrence and protection.
Tactics such as the manipulation of public debate; the weaponization of social identities; and the spread of misinformation are readily being used to destabilize democratic societies. This session will highlight existing EU frameworks and highlight exemplary responses to such interference, assessing their effectiveness in safeguarding theinformation landscape.
At the frontier: Responding to Hybrid Threats
Hybrid threats are testing the European Union’s ability to safeguard both its security and its democratic resilience. From drone incursions and cyberattacks to disinformation and cognitive warfare, new technologies are transforming the nature of conflict and exposing vulnerabilities across institutions and societies.
This session examines how the EU and its member states can strengthen their adaptive capacities—how public institutions, private actors, and citizens can coordinate, innovate, and respond effectively under hybrid pressure. Drawing inspiration from Ukraine’s rapid adaptation under fire and the Nordic “total defence” concepts of integrated resilience, the discussion will combine strategic insight with practical learning.