On 3 July, the Belgian Competition Authority (Autorité belge de la Concurrence or ABC) conditionally authorised the takeover of the IPM media group – publisher of the daily newspapers “La Libre”, “La Dernière Heure” and “L’Avenir” – by the Rossel media group, publisher of the daily newspapers “Le Soir” and “Sudinfo”, paving the way for the creation of a monopoly on daily newspaper publishing in the French-speaking part of the country. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its affiliate, the Association of Professional Journalists (AJP), in calling on the publisher to inform, consult and negotiate the terms of the…

On 3 July, 2026, a forensic analysis by the Citizen Lab revealed that Stelios Kouloglou, former Member of the European Parliament and investigative journalist, was targeted and infected with Pegasus spyware, developed by NSO Group, on or around 21 October 2022, and again on 6 and 7 March 2023. At the time, Kouloglou was serving as a substitute Member of the Parliament’s Committee of Inquiry to investigate the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware (PEGA Committee). This revelation is especially alarming because of the specific institutional context in which the targeting occurred. A member of the very committee mandated…

The imprisonment of Yıldız Tar, a journalist who has worked for many years on human rights, LGBTI+ rights and freedom of expression, deepens concerns over the use of criminal investigations and pre-trial detention against journalists because of their professional work, in Turkey. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) are calling on the Turkish authorities to release Yıldız Tar immediately. Journalist Yıldız Tar, editor-in-chief of LGBTQ+ rights publication Kaos GL, was arrested on charges of “membership in a terrorist organization” after being detained on 23 June in pre-dawn police raids in Ankara, Turkey’s capital, ahead…

On 6 July, journalists and media workers at the AFP Istanbul bureau will go on strike after management refused to accept their demands for fair wages during collective bargaining negotiations. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) express solidarity with the striking journalists and their affiliate, Türkiye Gazeteciler Sendikası (TGS), and are calling on AFP to meet their demands. The fourth term of collective bargaining negotiations between AFP and TGS began in February 2026. During the negotiations, TGS presented two proposals to management. The first included a 32.4% wage increase, corresponding to the official inflation…

The Portuguese Journalists’ Union (Sindicato dos Jornalistas) today filed a complaint with the European Commission concerning the new statutes of LUSA, Portugal’s state-owned news agency, arguing that they violate European law on the protection of editorial independence. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) calls on the European Union to act swiftly to assess the case and ensure compliance with the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) in the event that a violation is actually found. According to the union, the amendments to the statutes, introduced by the Portuguese government in January 2026, breach several provisions of the European Media Freedom Act…

The Russian artist and cartoonist Semyon Skrepetsky was shot dead in the street in eastern Poland, near the border with Belarus, on 15 June. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins Cartooning for Peace in condemning this brutal killing and calls for a full investigation into what appears to be a political assassination.  Skrepetsky, whose real name was Robert Kuzovkov, was shot dead from a distance in the street, after which the killer stepped closer to him to fire another two shots, indicating a targeted attack. Three days before Skrepetsky had engaged in a protest in Berlin, in which he…

The Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF) has just published the Media Pluralism Monitor 2026 (#MPM2026), the most comprehensive EU-wide assessment of risks to media pluralism and press freedom. The report shows that the working conditions of journalists, in terms of salaries and social security schemes, are deteriorating. The situation is particularly worrying in one in three countries in Europe. This year’s findings show how weak business models, big tech, lack of protection against legal intimidation practices, and market concentration are challenging the resilience of media pluralism in Europe, despite the entry into force of the European Media…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) is delighted to co-organise, once again this year, the fourth edition of Voices, the European Festival of Journalism and Media Freedom. And with it comes the fourth round of the Voices Awards. Voices is granting 25 awards of 1200 euros each* to young journalists and media freedom advocates to participate in the festival’s upcoming edition, which will take place in Thessaloniki on 26-28 November 2026. The Awards have a broad focus across eight categories, recognising outstanding achievements in various journalistic formats: Press Journalism Radio & Podcast Video & Documentary Digital storytelling and Social Media Cartoons…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and its affiliate the Journalists’ Union Of Turkey (TGS) joined the MFRR coalition, the International Press Institute (IPI), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and other press freedom and human rights organizations in expressing concern over the denial of accreditation to Turkish journalists hoping to cover NATO’s summit in Ankara, Turkey on July 7-8. Dozens of Turkish journalists ‌have been denied accreditation for a NATO summit in the Turkish capital Ankara next month, media outlets and journalist associations said on Thursday, with NATO saying it relied on Turkey for guidance about journalists. Independent outlets including…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the undersigned journalists and media freedom organisations in raising alarm over the coordinated campaign of pressure against Bulgarian investigative journalist Dimitar Stoyanov and call on national authorities to guarantee his safety and respond forcefully to allegations of a potential violent attack in response to his reporting. Stoyanov is an investigative journalist covering crime and corruption at the Bureau for Investigative Reporting and Data (BIRD) and has long faced legal and safety threats because of his investigations. BIRD is an independent investigative outlet which is known for cross-border collaboration, including partnerships with OCCRP and…

The 2026 Digital News Report, recently published by the Reuters Institute in collaboration with the University of Oxford, highlights the volatile landscape observed in the past year’s rapidly evolving media ecosystem. News consumption is increasingly characterised by “platformisation,” with social media and video networks becoming the dominant mode of accessing news globally for the first time in history. At the same time, the growing integration of AI into the production and consumption of news poses new challenges for journalists and consumers. These trends carry broad implications for trust in media, policymaking, and public service media and continue to evolve with…

On 15 July 2026, the European Commission will publish its seventh annual Rule of Law Report. This exercise has become a familiar ritual aimed at providing a thorough stock-take of where judicial independence, media freedom, anti-corruption efforts and checks and balances stand across the Union, followed by recommendations that too often disappear into the next reporting cycle without consequence. The undersigned 37 civil society, including the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), human rights, journalism and media support organisations urgently call on the European Commission to take more direct and verifiable measures to uphold, protect and restore the rule of law…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) join its Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners in standing in solidarity with Le Monde investigative journalist Stéphane Horel and calling on police to hold those responsible for a series of thefts and attempted break-ins believed to be linked to her work accountable. Between 2024 and 2025, the investigative reporter has been targeted by a series of incidents in both public and private settings in which her journalistic equipment and devices have been stolen and her apartment targeted. Horel, a well known journalist specialising in corporate harm, toxic industries and scientific disinformation, has stated…

The passing of a law by the President of Poland which will establish stronger safeguards against Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) is a long-awaited victory for media freedom which will provide important legal protections for public interest journalism, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and its Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners said today. Our organisations welcome the passing of the amendment, which will establish a strong legal basis in Poland to fight SLAPPs. The law covers both domestic and cross border SLAPPs ensuring implementation of both EU Anti-SLAPP Directive and Council of Europe Recommendation Against SLAPPs. Crucially, the Polish law…

The Czech government plans to replace the licence fee with state budget funding for public service media from January 2027. The proposed funding levels would represent a significant real-terms cut, with no safeguards for the independence of the public service media, no prior consultation with the broadcasters, and insufficient time for public and parliamentary debate. On Friday, the EFJ Annual Meeting unanimously adopted a motion, tabled by the Syndicate of Journalists of the Czech Republic (SNCR), calling on the Czech government “to immediately reconsider the proposed reform and ensure full compliance with the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), particularly with…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its affiliate in Serbia, the Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina (NDNV), in strongly condemning the vandalism, on Saturday night, in Novi Sad, of the car belonging to David Gruhonjić, the son of our colleague Dinko Gruhonjić, NDNV program director, who has been continuously targeted by the Serbian regime. The severe damage to the vehicle represents yet another in a series of security threats that cannot be viewed separately from the long-standing, organized campaign of persecution to which Dinko Gruhonjić has been exposed due to his journalistic, academic, and public engagement. The EFJ and NDVN…