​The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today publishes its position on the draft proposal for the  European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), which was adopted by its Steering Committee in Brussels on 13 January.   While we welcome the European Commission’s initiative to strengthen the free and pluralistic media system, and the commitment to protect journalists and editorial independence within the European Union, we stress the importance of a more robust protection of both media freedom and editorial independence.  In its position, the EFJ proposes urgent amendments which are crucial to be included by the co-legislators, the European Parliament and the European…

Following a decision of the General Meeting in Izmir (Turkey) in June 2022, members of the European Federation of Journalists decided to create a new expert group focusing on gender and diversity issues (Gender and Diversity Expert Group – GENDEG). The first in-person meeting took place on 12 January 2023. The group, chaired by Elena Tarifa (FeSP, Spain) and Lina Kushch (NUJU, Ukraine), consists of 13 other members from Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, France, Germany, Italy, Montenegro, Portugal, Switzerland. This first meeting launched the discussions around priorities, objectives, as well as an action plan for 2023. The safety of female…

Media outlets across Poland united in a strong act of solidarity when the National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT) decided to launch legal proceedings against TVN for “promoting false information” over a report critical of the Smoleńsk committee. The report, published on Monday 12 September, was made free of charge by the broadcaster TVN. Media outlets Gazeta Wyborcza, Newsweek Polska, Rzeczpospolita, radio stations Radio Zet, Tok FM, and RMF, news websites Onet, OKO.press and Wirtuala were amongst the dozens of editorial offices that published the documentary. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and its Polish affiliate the Society of Journalists (TD) welcomes…

Several journalists and media workers working on environmental and climate stories have been subjected to threats and obstruction to press work in 2022, hindering the right to information of the public. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) is alarmed by the risks associated with climate journalism throughout Europe and recalls the necessity for media to cover the current ecological and social issues.  Climate journalism has gone from being a niche beat to a field covered by a lot of national and international media outlets. Despite a belated but tangible expansion of the media coverage, journalists’ organisations have witnessed a lack…

The European and International Federation of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) raise the alert on the increasing threats surrounding journalists and media workers reporting on the tensions between Serbia and Kosovo from the North of Kosovo, and joins its affiliate the Association of Journalists in Kosovo (AJK) in asking the competent authorities, including the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), the Kosovo Force (KFOR) and the police, to take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of journalists reporting on the ground. Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo have escalated recently, especially in the divided city of Mitrovica, with Belgrade (Serbia) accusing Pristina…

New Year’s Eve is always a difficult time for journalists’ organisations and their European federation, the EFJ. How can we celebrate when we know that 13 journalists were killed in Europe, mainly in Ukraine, in 2022? How can we celebrate when we know that 124 journalists in Europe will spend New Year’s Eve in prison? The European Federation of Journalists has only one wish for the coming year: that these 124 colleagues be released. May no other journalist be killed or imprisoned simply for doing their job in 2023. On this special day, the EFJ remembers the 13 journalists killed in…