The EU’s Rapid Alert System against disinformation and how it functions

13.12.2020

Question for written answer  E-006819/2020
to the Commission
Rule 138
Markéta Gregorová (Verts/ALE)

The concept of a Rapid Alert System first emerged in the Action Plan against Disinformation (JOIN(2018)0036) of 5 December 2018 and the mechanism was finally set up in March 2019. One year later, Commissioner Věra Jourová stated that the system had been used for the first time to tackle disinformation related to COVID-19.

• 1.Against this backdrop, after having been set up in March 2019, has the Rapid Alert System continued functioning or does it need reactivating?
• 2.In October 2019, a Commission source confirmed that the level of disinformation had to cross a certain ‘threshold’ for the Rapid Alert System to be triggered. What are the criteria for triggering the system, and are there any documents available that can illustrate the activation process?
• 3.In its joint communication ‘Tackling COVID-19 disinformation – Getting the facts right’ (JOIN(2020)0008) of June 2020, the Commission announced the creation of a ‘special section in the Rapid Alert System’ that would focus specifically on COVID-19 disinformation. What is the state of play in this regard?