The Council of Europe has requested member states to share information on foreign information manipulation and interference.

According to a document circulated by the Council of Europe, the organisation’s Committee of Experts on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (PC-FIMI) is requesting member states to share information from January 1 to April 15 of this year. As reported, the relevant document was sent to all CoE member states.

The Council of Europe’s Committee of Experts on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference examines issues such as disinformation, media concentration and capture, media freedom, organised crime, cybercrime and corruption.

“Under the authority of the Committee of Ministers, and of the European Committee on Crime Problems (CDPC), the PC-FIMI is instructed to complete the feasibility study on the possible elaboration of a Council of Europe legal instrument on foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), including disinformation, exploring challenges in relation to election interference, media concentration and capture, media freedom and democratic and information literacy, organised crime, cybercrime, corruption, and the malign use of AI and other technologies. This study examines legal challenges and gaps regarding the criminalisation of certain conduct related to FIMI, and identifies potential approaches regarding prevention, awareness-raising and education measures on disinformation and FIMI, including disinformation,” the document states.

Furthermore, according to information published on the Council of Europe website, the first meeting of the Committee of Experts on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference has already taken place on January 27, 2026. The meeting was chaired by Gianluca Esposito, Director General of Human Rights and Rule of Law at the Council of Europe.

“It is a pleasure and a privilege to welcome you to the Council of Europe and to the first meeting of the Committee of Experts on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, the PC-FIMI.

As happy as I am to see you here, the reasons behind the establishment of this Committee are dark and consequential for our societies.

The very strength of our open societies, with their emphasis on free information exchange and freedom of expression, has been identified as our Achilles’ heel by foreign actors that disseminate misleading and mendacious propaganda. Their ambition is to create divisions and a climate of fear in our societies, and to further their geopolitical aims,” Gianluca Esposito stated.

Georgia, as a member state of the organisation, has also received the letter containing this request. According to available information, the Georgian side has already prepared a response.