The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), which is composed of three groups representing the EU’s trade unions, employers’ organisations and diverse civil society organisations, issued an interim report on fundamental rights and the rule of law in Romania, Hungary, Poland, Austria and France. This report highlights serious concerns regarding freedom of expression and the media as put forward by civil society in the targeted countries. Building on this newly published report, the EESC held in Brussels on 5 November a high-level conference on “Fundamental Rights and the Rule of Law – Trends in the EU from a civil society…

On 3 June, a 50-year old journalist working for the public broadcaster France 3 Normandie was attacked while filming in front of the mosque As-salam in Petit-Couronne, a city near Rouen. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its affiliates in France in strongly condemning the attack. The cameraman was alone taking background footage of the mosque for a report on the imam who was facing trial the same day, when suddenly a man, followed by a group of around 20 men, asked him to stop filming. The journalist was hit, thrown on the ground and had his camera broken.…

UPDATE (30-01-2019) – French Anarchist blog has claimed arson on both Radio Bleu Isère and an Haute-Jarrie telecoms relay tower, last night, in a strategy of systemic attacks on French Media in the region. Sunday night around 2:30 a.m., France Bleu Isère radio studios and offices were set on fire after arsonist(s) broke in. The police found enough evidence to immediately start a criminal investigation. The Editor-in-Chief of the French public regional station, Léopold Strajnic, told the police he had not received any threats prior to the attack. In the current climate, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) vigorously condemns another attack…

The Reuters Institute just published the first evidence-based study “Measuring the reach of ‘fake news’ and online disinformation in Europe” focusing on the most popular false news sites in France and Italy. The results show that the so-called “fake news” have a limited reach and that the time spent on false news websites is far lower than the time spent on news websites. It is often assumed that false news have a huge impact on the people who read them. Yet the research reveals that most of the false news websites analysed had a reach of less than 1% of…

UPDATE (15/09): Loup Bureau was released on 15 September 2017 after 51 days in custody. French journalist Loup Bureau was arrested on Wednesday 2 August by the Turkish police following five days of detention in southeastern Sirnak province on the Iraqi-Turkish border. He is detained on charges of “assisting a terror organisation”. Loup Bureau, 27, is a freelance journalist who worked for Arte, TV5 Monde, Slate. French news agency AFP reported that his charges are related to a report he had done in 2013 with the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in Syria – considered by Ankara as a terrorist organisation…

On 1 June 2017 in Brussels, after 24 hours of detention and 3,818 kilometres from Gaziantep, the family and friends of Mathias Depardon, the French journalist imprisoned in Turkey, came together to form a Belgian support committee. Mathias Depardon lived in Brussels for around ten years and completed his journalistic and photography studies there. The Belgian committee welcomed the interview that took place on 25 May between the French President Emmanuel Macron and the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which is regarded as a first step in the right direction. Further to this meeting, an initial consular visit took place…

A demonstration of solidarity gathered 250 people on Wednesday 18 January 2017 in Lille, in front of the French newspaper La Voix du Nord‘s headquarters, to protest against the managers’ social plan foreseeing a 25% reduction in staff workers. La Voix du Nord‘s owner, the Belgian media group Rossel, announced in early January its plan to cut 178 jobs, including 72 journalists, while the company recorded a profit margin of 5 million EUR in 2015. Union representatives are meeting on Thursday (19/01/2017) morning the French minister of Culture Audrey Azoulay as well as the French minister of Labour Myriam El Khomri to put pressure on…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its French affiliates, the Syndicat national des journalistes (SNJ) and the Syndicat national des journalistes-CGT (SNJ-CGT), to denounce the last-minute amendment voted on Monday 18 July by the National Assembly, to restrict journalists’ protection of sources, only a few days following the Nice attack. Submitted a few hours before the new reading of the proposal to strengthen the freedom, independence and pluralism of the media, the amendment foresees to restrict the protection of journalists’ sources when they violate the “secret of national defence” and “the fundamental interests of the Nation.” This extension is considered “indispensable” because of…

2015 has been another deadly year for journalists, with at least 109 journalists and media staff killed in targeted killings, bomb attacks and cross-fire incidents, according to the annual report published today by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). The IFJ 2015 list names the 109 journalists and media staff killed across 30 countries, together with 3 who died of accidental deaths. It marks a small drop from last year when 118 killings and 17 accidents were recorded. In Europe, 16 journalists and media staff were killed in 2015: 11 in France, 2 in Ukraine, 1 in Azerbaijan, 1 in…

In wake of the Paris attacks, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has expressed its solidarity with the families and friends of the journalist Guillaume B. Decherf and cameraman Mathieu Hoche, as well as all citizens who are affected by the attack on Friday 13 November. “The French people has responded admirably to the terrorists by declaring loudly that they were not afraid. So as the journalists who are working round the clock bringing citizens information about the attack,” said the EFJ General Secretary, Ricardo Gutierrez. “Journalists will not give in. As they have done it in the aftermath of…

In view of the ongoing trilogue negotiations, informal tripartite meetings attended by representatives of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on reaching the proposal for an EU directive (also know as trade secrets directive) “on the protection of undisclosed know-how and business information against their unlawful acquisition, use and disclosure”, journalists’ and media organisations expressed their concern regarding a potential damaging impact on press freedom. A letter has been sent to the rapporteur, shadow-rapporteurs, members of the European Parliament of the Legal Committee, the Permanent representatives of the EU member states (COREPER) and relevant  contacts in the European…

Journalism seems to be no longer an attractive profession. At least, this seems to be the conclusion suggested by the survey “Evolution and changes in the journalism professions” carried out by the National Union of Journalists (SNJ) and the evaluation and prevention of occupational risks office Technologia. The study has analysed the evolution of journalism in France since 2010 and revealed that 34% of journalists respondents said they would quite the profession. The study is the follow-up of a first research “Actual journalists’ work, quality of information and democracy” launched in 2011 by the above organisations. The latest study showed three…

Send your solidarity message to the AFP staff on strike in the comment box below. Strike continues at AFP France against termination of collective agreements (c)P.Kamenka http://t.co/MQqMzEYvmFpic.twitter.com/50JOckydIk — EFJ (@EFJEUROPE) July 8, 2015     The International Federation of Journalists and the European Federation of Journalists have today called on Mr Emmanuel Hoog, CEO of Agence France Press (AFP), one of the world’s major news agencies, to revoke the company’s decision to terminate 117 collective agreements and business agreements. The social model that has been put in place for decades at the AFP provides the protection necessary for journalists and…

Three months after the devastating attack on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, a cyber attack has been launched on 9 April against the French broadcasting network TV5 Monde. According to media reports, TV5 Monde was taken over by individuals claiming to belong to Islamic State, blacking out broadcasts as well as hacking its websites and Facebook page. (Read the full version in French) (Photo: AFP)  

Journalists and media workers at Radio France have been on strike since Thursday 19 March called by the unions (CGT, CFDT, FO, Solidaires and Unsa) to oppose the budget cuts. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and its Broadcasting Expert Group in its meeting on 26 March has expressed their support to the journalists in Radio France to defend public service broadcasting and their fight to maintain quality journalism and decent working conditions. “The management of Radio France announced a budget deficit of 20 million Euros. The employees are protesting against the potential cut of 300 jobs and the plan for…