The European Union and France have provided financial backing to an event this week attacking the United States government for spreading “disinformation” in other countries.
Hosted by EU-funded NGO EU Disinfolab, the Disinfo 2026 conference in Vilnius, Lithuania, contained several panels attacking the current US administration as being an active source of disinformation that needs to be countered by Europe.
“This session addresses one of the most uncomfortable questions in the counter-disinformation field today: how did the United States become a [Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference] threat for Europe?” the description for one panel — which sported a former member of the US Central Intelligence Agency as a speaker — reads.
“The session will explore how the counter-disinformation community rebuilds resilience without Washington, what solidarity looks like in a fractured transatlantic environment, and how to push back against on these operations.”
Another event accused the United States of actively trying to intimidate people active in the disinformation space, with the panel focusing on ways to counter the actions of the American government.
“The United States Government’s attacks to intimidate individuals and organisations are an unprecedented escalation in defense of US corporations seeking to avoid regulation and criticism,” its description reads.
“This panel will examine the chilling effect these tactics can potentially have on the community of researchers, journalists, and former government officials who fight disinformation, propaganda and hate speech online. The panel will also discuss how some are fighting back against these tactics.”
The two-day conference had previously listed the French government, the Canadian government, the Lithuanian government, and the European Commission’s foreign affairs outfit as “supporters” of the project.
This reportedly prompted complaints from US government officials, with Canada, Lithuania, and the European Commission pulling their names from the event, claiming they were not aware the organisers were looking to host such panels.
French officials reportedly refused to disavow the conference, with one unnamed Paris official telling The Guardian that “there’s absolutely no reason for [France] to change [its] commitments”.
EU officials meanwhile confirmed that while Brussels had ordered its branding be pulled from the event, it would still provide the EU Disinfolab NGO with the necessary funding to host the event.
The non-profit’s EU transparency register listing reveals that it received €214,986 of its €959,735 budget for 2025 directly from EU institutions, with a further €229,779 listed as coming from George Soros’ Open Society Foundation.
Canadian officials also reportedly refused to pull out of the event despite protests from Washington DC.
The event is the latest instance of Europe’s growing war on American tech and free speech efforts, with multiple senior French and Brussels officials pushing for an increasingly punitive approach to US firms in the hopes of better controlling the continent’s online ecosystem.