Countering Foreign Interference Dialogues 2024

On 24 and 25 June, the EUISS together with the European University Institute - School of Transnational Governance held the second edition of the Countering Foreign Interference (CFI) Dialogues, the flagship event of the CFI project.

Held in Florence on an annual basis, the event focused this year on examining the connections between different areas of foreign interference and hybrid threats. Held shortly after the European Parliament elections, the event provided an opportunity to learn from recent experiences with election interference, but also examine tools and measures to adopt for effective prevention, deterrence and defence.  

By facilitating the engagement with researchers, experts and representatives from EU institutions, EU Member States, international organisations and think-thanks, the CFI Dialogues support the establishment of a community of practice, bringing the EU, Member States and partners closer together on the understanding of FIMI-related challenges and how to address them.  

The CFI Dialogues 2024 explored Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) alongside other forms of interference, including cyber and psychological operations.

Participants discussed how to identify threats, who the actors are and what they currently do, and what partnerships and tools can be used to counter interference from a whole-of-society perspective. The conference also addressed the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and AI-generated content, considering how this technology can be used for both spreading disinformation and tackling it.

A wide range of participants from the EU, Member States, academia, civil society and other organizations were involved, allowing for an in-depth exploration of the most salient issues. Interactive exchanges with experts and practitioners further contributed to acquiring valuable feedback for the CFI project to help enhance resilience building against FIMI and broader interference and deepen partnerships across countries, sectors and hybrid threat domains.