EU–Western Balkans Media Literacy Conference 2025 strengthens regional cooperation to counter disinformation

Held in Skopje on 17 November, the conference convened representatives from North Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Moldova, Denmark, and other countries, alongside experts and officials from EU institutions and EU Member States. Participants represented a broad range of sectors, including media regulators, journalists and editors, civil society organisations, academic and research institutions, digital policy experts, and international partners, ensuring a rich, cross-sectoral and regional exchange.

Opening the conference, Ambassador of the European Union to North Macedonia, Michalis Rokas, highlighted the growing importance of media literacy in an information environment increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, rapid technological change, and coordinated disinformation efforts.

"Media literacy is not just an educational tool; it is a pillar of informed citizenship and democracy," Ambassador Rokas noted, underlining the need to equip citizens with the skills required to navigate complex digital spaces.

He also emphasized the European Union's strengthened collective response to disinformation, including through initiatives such as the European Democracy Shield, and stressed the importance of cooperation across borders and regions.

"This conference brings together the European Union, the Western Balkans, and the Eastern Partnership to build stronger resilience and safeguard our shared democratic values," he added.

The conference programme featured a series of high-level panel discussions addressing key challenges in the regional information landscape. Sessions explored the role of social media platforms in enabling and countering information manipulation, the rise of gendered disinformation and digital hate, and the opportunities and risks digital platforms pose for younger generations. Speakers discussed how EU policy frameworks, such as the Digital Services Act, can be translated into the regional context through human rights-based and whole-of-society approaches.

In addition to strategic dialogue, the conference placed strong emphasis on practical learning and capacity building. Four parallel breakout sessions offered participants the opportunity to engage more deeply with institutional responses to FIMI, science-related information manipulation, and the implications of artificial intelligence for information integrity. Interactive workshops also examined the ethical and critical use of AI tools, enabling participants to exchange expertise and concrete practices across countries and professional backgrounds.

The conference concluded with an inspirational keynote by Professor Roman Jurowetzki of Aalborg University, reflecting on the need for AI-enabled defence systems that rely on institutional capacity, cooperation, and trusted verification mechanisms rather than isolated technological solutions.

As a flagship annual initiative of the European External Action Service since 2020, the EU-Western Balkans Media Literacy Conference continues to serve as a key regional platform for cooperation, dialogue, and shared learning. By bringing together diverse stakeholders from across the region and beyond, the conference reinforces common efforts to promote information integrity and resilience to disinformation.