The AI Act came into force on 1 August 2024. The EFJ participated to the plenary dedicated to drafting the Code of Practice on Generative AI for the EU AI Office, alongside nearly 1,000 other organisations and individuals. The plenary will set guidelines for the responsible use of Generative AI within the EU’s AI regulatory framework. EFJ members have also discussed in expert groups the impact of generative AI and have raised concerns on controlling and regulating the use of AI in newsrooms. The EFJ Authors’ Rights Expert Group (AREG) drafted recommendations on the right of identification and personality, fair…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners in welcoming the decision to pause the passage of the law criminalizing fake news and to hold an expert committee meeting on media freedom in Cyprus. The discussion comes at a critical juncture, as concerns grow over draft legislation to criminalize offensive content and “fake news”. A freshly published article on media freedom in Cyprus gives an overview of the current situation for journalists on the island. The meeting, set up by the Cypriot Minister of Justice and scheduled for 11 October 2024, follows the discussion…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the SafeJournalists Network and its partners from the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) in strongly condemning the attacks on the Council of Media Ethics of Albania (KSHM) and the think tank – Center Science and Innovation for Development (SCiDEV) that has issued a shadow report on media freedom in Albania, as well as on researcher Blerjana Bino. In early October 2024, the Council of Media Ethics of Albania (KSHM) became the target of coordinated smear campaigns by two online platforms, Sot.com.al and Prapaskena.com. These incidents mark a disturbing trend of hostility toward independent…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins the Coalition for Media Freedom in condemning this legislative process for its lack of transparency and calls for an extension of the deadline and a restructuring of the law, including the creation of a regulatory framework in the areas of public information and advertising by public authorities and political advertising. A working group on amendments to the Advertising Law was set up without the participation of media associations. As the Coalition for Media Freedom pointed out, the government promised to ensure that cooperation between ministerial working groups and representatives of media associations, the…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its Belgian affiliate Vlaamse Vereniging van Journalisten (VVJ) in condemning the attack against Belgian journalists Robin Ramaekers and Stijn De Smet in Beirut. They were assaulted, beaten and shot at on Wednesday night after a group of men accused them of working for Israel. The EFJ calls for the assailants to be identified, prosecuted and convicted. Ramaekers was hospitalised for injuries to his face, while De Smet had to be treated for gunshot wounds to the leg. Both are waiting to be evacuated as soon as possible. The two journalists working for the…

To mark the publication of the book entitled “Media pluralism in the digital era: Legal, Economic, Social, and Political Lessons Learnt from Europe”, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) interviewed Iva Nenadic, Research Fellow at the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF) at the European University Institute. Co-edited with Elda Brogi and Pier Luigi Parcu, this book draws from over a decade of research through the Media Pluralism Monitor (MPM) and provides essential insights into the evolving media landscape across Europe. Could you tell us about your role at the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF)…