The 7th of May 2026 marks the deadline for EU Member States to transpose the EU Anti-SLAPP Directive, also known as Daphne’s law. As we mark this landmark, however, the European Anti-SLAPP Monitor shows a fragmented and uneven picture for transposition across Europe, as the deadline is being missed by nearly all Member States. While the Anti-SLAPP Directive marked a significant step forward in protecting journalists and media from abusive litigation, its implementation at the national level remains alarmingly incomplete. Although there are some positive examples, the majority of states are seriously lagging behind and others have made no progress at…

Since the contested parliamentary elections in October 2024, Georgia has experienced one of the most rapid and serious deteriorations of press freedom ever seen in an EU member state or candidate country, Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners warn today. As we mark World Press Freedom Day 2026, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and its partners once again draws attention to the plight of independent media and journalists in Georgia, where the Russia-friendly ruling party has continued its intensifying clampdown over the past year. Our thoughts today are particularly with jailed journalist Mzia Amaglobeli, who has now been behind…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) welcomes the letter sent today by 61 Members of the European Parliament calling on the European Union leadership to make stronger calls for foreign journalist access to Gaza. The letter, addressed to Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, high representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, as well as EU member states, says that security can no longer be invoked by Israel as justification to deny access. It asks for access to be a key demand in bilateral relations with Israel and to use all possible…

To mark World Press Freedom Day, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and its partners from the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) are publishing today an analysis of six years of monitoring data that reveals, in granular detail, the most serious challenges and trends threatening freedom of the press in Europe. The MFRR consortium first began comprehensive monitoring in 2020 and has become the largest public database of media freedom violations in Europe. Our Mapping Media Freedom (MapMF) platform has now recorded 6092 media freedom violations in Europe affecting more than 10,200 different journalists and media-related entities in EU Member States…

Public Service Media (PSM) in Europe are under unprecedented attacks: from Finland to Italy, by way of France, Slovakia, Lithuania and Czech Republic – you name it. On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day (#WPFD2026), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) advocates for public service media as critical democratic infrastructure emphasising that their quality, independence, and robust funding are indispensable for fostering informed and pluralistic debates. It is a domino effect that has been unfolding before our eyes for several years now: European governments are trying to weaken, undermine or exert greater political control over public service media. Almost…

Today, on World Press Freedom Day, 22 journalists are still behind bars in Belarus. The situation with freedom of speech in Belarus remains the worst in Europe. Since the sweeping repression that began in 2020, hundreds of Belarusian media workers have endured detention, arrest, and persecution. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its affiliates the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) in calling for the release of all Belarusian journalists. Recently, several well-known journalists were released. But we worry about those who remain behind bars. In February and March of this year, after large-scale releases of political prisoners, several media…