The invention is directed to a barrier layer for corrosion protection in electrochemical devices, e.g. carbon based gas diffusion layers (GDLs) in electrochemical devices, comprising electrically conductive ceramic material and a non-ionomeric polymer binder. The electrically conductive ceramic material has an electrical conductivity of >0.1 S/cm, preferably >1 S/cm in air atmosphere (as detected by the powder method) and is selected from the group of precious metal and/or base metal containing oxides, carbides, nitrides, borides and mixtures and combinations thereof. Membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs), catalyst-coated membranes (CCMs), gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) and gas diffusion layers (GDLs) comprising the barrier layer of the invention show improved corrosion resistance, preferably against carbon corrosion; particularly in start-up/shut-down cycles and fuel starvation situations of PEM fuel cells.