The European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) entered into force on 7 May 2024. The new rules will fully apply at national level in each EU member state as of 8 August 2025. It has been said this is a historic act as the European Media Freedom Act, called “EMFA”  is the first European regulation dealing with all media. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), together with other media freedom groups, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and civil society organisations, has worked hard for over two years to get an ambitious act. A future-proof act against the growing attacks against journalism,…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) strongly condemns the request by seven governments to legalise spying on journalists through the EU Media Freedom Act. The EFJ calls on the European Parliament and the European Commission to reject this illiberal and repressive request. The negotiations on the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) are coming to an end. On Friday 15 December, the last trilogue will only deal with Article 4 of EMFA and the deployment of spyware against journalists. In the meantime, Investigate Europe, Disclose and Follow The Money revealed documents, showing that some governments (France, Italy, Malta, Greece, Cyprus, Sweden,…

As the negotiations on the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) are drawing to a close, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today co-signed a letter to the policymakers calling for international standards to be respected on the protection of journalistic sources (Article 4). Considered a basic condition for press freedom by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), the protection of sources risks being weakened by EU Member States. The signatories are deeply concerned about the chilling effect that could ensue if the final text maintains the paragraph to the national security responsibilities of Member States and sets conditions for…

Thirteen journalists’, press freedom and civils society organisations, including the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), are calling on EU Member States, the European Commission and the European Parliament to impose greater transparency on the media and their relations with political decision-makers and economic players. Citizens have a right to know. The current negotiations on the final version of the EMFA must incorporate these transparency guarantees. Read our open letter about the transparency of media ownership and state advertising. Joint open letter on media ownership and state advertising transparency in the trilogue negotiations of the EMFA The provisions of the European…

Today, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined 18 organisations representing public service media, journalists, media workers, civil society, as well as the cultural and creative industries in urging the EU’s trilogue negotiators to effectively protect the independence of public service media in the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA). Maja Sever, EFJ President, said: “The weakening of Article 5 is unthinkable for anyone who sincerely wants media pluralism and independent journalism in Europe. There is no place for “seeking to” or warning by distorting competition in the market. To serve the public, public service media must have a solid framework…

At the plenary session in Strasbourg, the European Parliament (EP) adopted yesterday, with an overwhelming majority, (448 votes in favour, 102 votes against and 75 abstentions) its position on the European Media Freedom Act. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) appreciates the European Parliament’s continued commitment to preserving and promoting media freedom in an ever more hostile and fragile media environment. Many essential changes have been made since the legislative process began, but concerns about spying on journalists remain. “After a year of advocacy in close cooperation with other media freedom, civil society and digital rights organisations, we are happy to have…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today joined media organisations in demanding a journalist’s privilege (Article 17) over content moderation, ahead of the vote on the European Media Freedom Act scheduled next week in the European Parliament. Media freedom and journalistic integrity have not only become the plaything of individual governments in the EU in recent years. Also, very large online platforms (VLOPs), that have become key distribution channels for editorial content, are increasingly exerting influence on the media landscape and restricting media freedom and pluralism. Based on their algorithms and content moderation practices, VLOPs decide who gets to read,…

In the run-up to the European Parliament’s vote on the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), scheduled on 3 October 2023, 500 journalists have signed the letter below calling on MEPs to introduce an absolute ban on the deployment of spyware against journalists. Dear honorable Members of the European Parliament, Ahead of the upcoming vote of the draft report on the proposed European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), journalists in Europe are urging you to introduce an absolute ban on the surveillance of journalists through spyware in this text.  Some of us, and many of our colleagues across Europe and the world, have…

The results of the 2023 Media Pluralism Monitor (MPM), which have just been published, confirm the decline in media pluralism in Europe. Of the 32 countries analysed (the 27 EU Member States and the five candidate countries), barely seven present a satisfactory situation. For the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), this new study confirms the urgent need to considerably strengthen the provisions of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), which is currently being examined by the European Parliament. “This scientific study is a real setback for European governments, who have just watered down the EMFA when the evidence shows that…

EU governments want to authorise the spying of journalists and their sources on vague grounds of “national security”. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) strongly rejects the position of the EU Council on the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) and denounces a blow to media freedom, arguing that such legislation would put journalists and their sources even more at risk. The Council reached today, 21 June 2023, an agreement on the much-needed European Media Freedom Act, a legislation proposed by the European Commission on 16 September 2022 with the intention to introduce safeguards against political interference, media concentration, and to…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined European organisations, representing thousands of media outlets, journalists and all other media workers across the EU, in calling on Member States to ensure effective protection of sources in the proposed European Media Freedom Act (EMFA). While we welcome the intentions of Article 4, which “aims to guarantee that journalists and editors can work without interference, including when it comes to protecting their sources and communications”, we consider the protections foreseen in the Commission’s draft to be insufficient to effectively shield journalists from undue interference, prohibit surveillance of journalists and protect journalistic sources and…

Another alarming report on the deterioration of media pluralism in Europe. The latest edition of the “Media Pluralism Monitor” (MPM2024) is out. Of the 32 European countries analysed, barely seven (Germany, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Finland and Lithuania) have a satisfactory situation. Everywhere else, European citizens are not fully guaranteed access to diversified and independent sources of information. Overall trends show increasing commercial and political interference in the media. The report also demonstrates the passivity of European governments and media companies in the face of this democratic threat. The latest MPM report was released today by the Centre for…

Members of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), after completing a mission to Bucharest, concluded that much of the media coverage of Romania’s electoral campaigns is seriously compromised by political capture and that media are failing to provide the fair and balanced political reporting necessary for the public to make informed electoral choices.  The MFRR’s two-day mission to Romania, 17-18 June, was held just one week after the European and local elections had been held. With presidential elections due in September and parliamentary elections in December this year, the MFRR calls for an urgent reform of the system of party…

Slovakia’s parliament approved the government’s planned revamp and leadership change at public broadcaster RTVS on Thursday, overruling concerns the changes will bring RTVS under political control and harm media freedom and media pluralism. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) urges Peter Pellegrini, President of the Slovak Republic to veto the public broadcasting bill. Contrary to the European legal standards, including the newly adopted European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), the new Slovak legislation risks transforming public media into government propaganda outlets. Under the new law, RTVS’s director will be replaced years before his term expires. A nine-member supervisory council, appointed by…

On 5 June, the Kofi Annan Foundation (KAF), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and Reporters without Borders (RSF) organised a roundtable discussion at the Brussels Press Club on the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), which came into force on 7 May. Opening remarks were provided by Corinne Momal-Vanian, Executive Director of KAF, Renate Schroeder, Director of EFJ, and Antoine Bernard, Director of Advocacy at RSF, followed by a keynote speech from Vice-President of the European Commission, Vera Jourova. Sébastien Brack, KAF’s representative in Brussels, moderated a panel discussion with Renate Nikolay, Deputy Director-General of DG Connect, Frederic Bokobza, Deputy…

The growing pressure on press freedom in Italy has prompted the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) consortium to organise an urgent mission to Rome on May 16 and 17. The unprecedented political interference in the public service media, the increasing cases of vexatious lawsuits against journalists, and the possible sale of the AGI news agency will be the focus of the two-day visit. Meetings will be held with institutional stakeholders, journalists, trade unions and civil society. In light of the recent legislative developments on media freedom at the EU level, in particular the adoption of the anti-SLAPP Directive and the…