SAUFEX -Secure Automated Unified Framework for Exchange

SAUFEX pursues three objectives:

1. Standardise knowledge, building on existing good practices to further develop a common and standardised framework for FIMI analysis;

2. De-centralise and democratise processes around FIMI analysis and response;

3. Incorporate community-driven quality assurance processes and expand theoretical understandings of FIMI within the defender community.

The objectives aim to achieve the following outcomes:

Enable proactive detection, analysis, and countermoves in case of foreign attempts to undermine democratic processes and develop a better understanding of the Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) involved in these attempts.
Create an improved response system for policymakers and other stakeholders so that they are better equipped at dealing with FIMI threats.
Improve coordination among EU member states and international partners in combating FIMI and provide a better theoretical understanding of the tension between the tenets of democracy and FIMI.

Partners: The grant project is coordinated by PORT - the Polish Technology Development Centre from Wrocław, which operates within the nationwide Łukasiewicz Research Network.

The grant consortium partners include: Debunk.org, an independent Lithuanian technology think tank; DROG, an organisation based in the Netherlands which focuses on combating disinformation, promoting media literacy, and fostering a more informed and engaged global citizenry; Faktabaari, a Finnish non-profit promoting fact-checking & media literacy; the Institute of Political Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences; and the University of Warsaw.

Timeline: 3 years (1 February 2024 – 31 January 2027)

Type of action: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions

Call topic: Detecting, analysing and countering foreign information manipulation and interference (TOPIC ID: HORIZON-CL2-2023-DEMOCRACY-01-01)

Funding programme: Horizon Europe Framework programme