On 25 June 2024, Dace Melbārde, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, participated in the meeting of the General Affairs Council of the European Union (EU) in Luxembourg. The participants discussed a proposal aimed at reducing undue foreign influence on the EU’s democratic processes.
Dace Melbārde supported the aim of the proposal, as the current geopolitical situation particularly calls for appropriate legal instruments, common across the EU, which would provide a practical tool to mitigate the negative influence of third countries.
Dace Melbārde also stressed the need for further discussions on the proposal to ensure a reasonable balance between measures to limit foreign influence and respect for fundamental rights. The Parliamentary Secretary called for clarification on the impact of the proposal on the freedoms of association and assembly, as well as on the possible risk of a negative impact on civil society organisations.
The proposal aims to make the representation of third country interests in the EU more transparent. Organisations, including associations, will be required to keep records of cases where they have carried out lobbying activities on behalf of EU member state institutions and received funding from third countries.
The agenda also included a discussion on the draft conclusions of the European Council of 27-28 June, as well as information on the state of play with the rule of law in Hungary.