Information systems researcher Vera Schmitt leads new Horizon Europe project FIMI-RESIST at Mainz University, bringing together ten partners from nine countries
Under the leadership of Professor Vera Schmitt, the XplaiNLP Research Group at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) is coordinating the new EU research project FIMI-RESIST. Over the next 30 months, ten partners from research and technology, media and civil society across nine countries will examine which existing European tools designed to counter foreign information manipulation and interference perform effectively under real-world conditions. XplaiNLP combines natural language processing with explainable AI and robust information processing, providing the scientific foundation for a joint assessment of Europe's existing anti-disinformation tools. Horizon Europe, the European Union's flagship funding program for research and innovation, is supporting the project with approximately EUR 3.5 million.
From stand-alone projects to comparable solutions
Technological change is reshaping the disinformation landscape. Generative AI lowers the barriers to producing synthetic content, manipulated media can be scaled rapidly, and the AI systems people increasingly use to find and assess information are themselves becoming targets. At the same time, the European Union has funded a broad range of research projects and tools to detect and mitigate disinformation. What has been missing is a common framework for systematically evaluating their effectiveness and comparing their performance.
FIMI-RESIST addresses precisely this gap. Rather than developing another stand-alone tool, the project will establish a shared evaluation and harmonization framework for existing European solutions. Twenty previously EU-funded tools will be assessed using common criteria and shared benchmarks. The objective is to generate more robust evidence about which approaches are best suited to specific users, operational settings, and threat scenarios.
Real-world testing with media, fact checkers, and security stakeholders
One central focus of the project is practical application. Working with journalists, fact checkers, security stakeholders, and civil society organizations, the consortium will assess how effectively existing tools can be integrated into day-to-day workflows and where gaps remain as AI-driven threats evolve. The project will also establish a help desk, a European hub, and training offerings to ensure that validated methods and project results remain accessible beyond the funding period.
The findings are also intended to inform the European debate on the regulatory and institutional response to disinformation, including in the context of the Digital Services Act, the AI Act, and the European Media Freedom Act.
A consortium of ten European partners
The consortium comprises
- XplaiNLP Group, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany (Professor Vera Schmitt)
- Kempelen Institute of Intelligent Technologies (KInIT), Slovakia (Dr. Jakub Šimko)
- Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH), Greece (Dr. Symeon Papadopoulos)
- University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands (Professor Richard Rogers)
- Logically/INSIKT, the United Kingdom and Spain
- Factiverse, Norway
- Exorde Labs, France
- Cyfluence Research Center, Germany
- Deutsche Welle, Germany
- VoxUkraine, Ukraine
Gretchen AI, Germany, is an associated partner in the consortium. The project is also supported by Alexandra Geese, Member of the European Parliament.
The kickoff also included contributions from Saman Nazari (Alliance4Europe), Sandra Fiene (European Commission), and policy and project officers Ilona von Bethlenfalvy and Alberto Domini.
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About the Department of Business and Economics at JGU
The Department of Business and Economics within the Faculty of Law, Management and Economics at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz brings together business administration, economics, information systems, and business and economics education. Its research, teaching, and knowledge transfer address key economic and societal challenges through rigorous scholarship, interdisciplinary collaboration, and sustained engagement with academia, business, and the public. Students benefit from a broad portfolio of degree programs, close academic support, and JGUs location in the dynamic Rhine-Main region.