EUObserver – Poland passes media law, ignores EU again (31.12.2015) Sputnik – Poland on EU Collision Course Over New Media Reforms (31.12.2015) Prague Post – Pending Polish media law draws criticism (31.12.2015) AFP – Polish government takes control of public media with new law (30.12.2015) Time – A Media Bill in Poland Sparks Concern Over Press Freedom (30.12.2015) Deutsche Welle – Polish government moves to control public media (30.12.2015) Broadband TV News – EBU “outraged” as Poland amends law (30.12.2015) BBC – Polish media bill triggers concern for freedom (30.12.2015) Politico – 2015, an awful year for Europe’s free media (30.12.2015) L’Humanité – C’est la liberté de la presse qu’Erdogan…

On 17 October, a platform initiated by Eurocadres (Council of European Professional and Managerial Staff) calling for an EU-wide whistleblower protection was launched by the first 48 signatories of a joint statement, including the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ). The EFJ is encouraging individuals and organisations to sign the petition. At a press conference at the Brussels Press Club , representatives of Eurocadres, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU), Transparency International and the EFJ all emphasised the importance of joining forces on this crucial issue. Following the debate before summer of the trade secrets…

Suspended jail sentences for whistleblowers (12 months and 1.500 EUR penalty for Antoine Deltour and 9 months and 1.000 EUR penalty for Raphaël Halet) and acquittal for the investigative journalist (Edouard Perrin), that’s the verdict of Luxembourg court in the LuxLeaks case. Judges in Luxembourg delivered today (29/06/2016) a verdict in LuxLeaks case related to the prosecution of two whistleblowers and a journalist for disclosing confidential documents from auditing firm PwC that showed how 340 multinational companies used secret tax deals to avoid paying into the public coffers. A European Parliament’s study estimates that EU countries lose 50 billion to 70 billion EUR in tax…

Shortly after the adoption by the European Parliament of the trade secrets directive, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has started to campaign for a EU legislation to protect whistleblowers. The EFJ met with the Transparency and Democracy Campaigner of The Greens/ European Free Alliance in the European Parliament, Pamela Bartlett Quintanilla to discuss a draft proposal on “Whistleblower protection in the public and private sector in the EU”. This draft proposed on 4 May by the Greens/ European Free Alliance guarantees protection for workers, trainees and apprentices working in all sectors of activity who disclose information concerning harms or threat to the public…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) have successfully organised a 3-day training (25-27 May) in Leuven (Belgium) on Cybersecurity for journalists : Secure, protect, investigate. This was the second edition of a course organized 2015 along four days about Cybersecurity for journalists and with the same practical approach. The course aimed to facilitate technical skills to journalists helping them to protect themselves, their work and their sources. 13 journalists and / or unionists coming from 11 countries took part to the training, with an important participation of participants coming from countries of the…

I can’t write that, it seems that more and more European journalists are saying this sentence to themselves when working for a media outlet. The refugee crisis, the Cologne attacks, the Panama papers or the new French surveillance law are some recent examples of sensitive topics that raised the question of self-censorship among journalists. The Friedrich Naumann Stiftung für die Freiheit in co-operation with the EFJ organised an event (02/05/2016) in Brussels to discuss how self-censorship affects journalists’ reporting in the European media industry.  The debate was moderated by EFJ Director Renate Schroeder, who at the outset drew the meeting’s attention to a comprehensive quantitative…

Speech by Mogens Blicher Bjerregård (EFJ President) Ladies and Gentlemen – distinguished delegates, observers and guests! International solidarity among journalist unions and association is of huge importance as cross border activities in Europe are constantly increasing. Being in Sarajevo listening yesterday at the pre-meeting to the challenges and encouragement you have in Bosnia & Hercegovina, the Balkans, The South Eastern Europe, there is an inspiration of hope. You have the severe problems in collective bargaining, in getting journalists to understand at all, that they have rights, but it is impressive to understand how meet this. After several conferences in this region of…

   CV  Main experiences and achievements: Working conditions of journalists, social partnership and collective bargaining: Building public solidarity among journalists; uilding public pressure for the right of journalists to collective bargaining; establishing close working relationships with media houses and their associations; resulting in important steps towards new collective agreements, and maintaining already existing collective agreements on working conditions of journalists. Support for freedom of the press and independence of journalists:  Active lobbying at all levels, cooperation with other organisations such as Reporters without Borders or Amnesty International; resulting in a public and political conscience of the difficulties facing journalists; and…

CV Patrick Kamenka, former journalist with AFP for nearly 40 years. I used to cover the Soviet union and many war zone conflits  (former Yougoslavia, USSR, Iraq). In charge for my union SNJ-CGT on the international issues. Working on the Turkish campaign with TGS for EFJ. Member of FREG. Elected twice as Steering comittee member. Reserve member from 2013-2016. Candidate Statement I stand for solidarity – good quality journalism – better rights for journalists The EFJ is facing crucial challenges because of the increasing concentration of ownership in the media industry. Mainstream media are more and more linked to banks and…

2015 has been a year for the EFJ to focus on core union work. We have achieved positive steps in promoting professional rights of journalists and jobs in journalism, developing union recruitment strategies and enforcing the safety of journalists. READ MORE   Having trouble viewing this email? View this email in your browser   18 December 2015       EDITORIAL    2015 has been a year for the EFJ to focus on core union work. We have achieved positive steps in promoting professional rights of journalists and jobs in journalism, developing union recruitment strategies and enforcing the safety of journalists. On…

A new report “Balancing act: press freedom at risk as EU struggles to match actions with values” published by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) was launched at the Press Club-Europe in Brussels on 29 September. Jean-Paul Marthoz, CPJ’s EU correspondent and author of the report, said at a press conference that “the future of the EU’s global influence will largely determined by its credibility and consistency by following a press freedom diplomacy based on principles and free of double standards.” The report examines EU policies and institutions, finding that while they maintain an outward commitment to press freedom, in many cases…

1. Resolutions The Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) on 2nd June, 2015 has adopted the following resolutions: A. On lobbying 1. On Authors’ rights in the digital single market Tabled by DJV, Germany, SNJ-CGT, France, and EFJ Steering Committee The Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), meeting in Budva, Montenegro on 2nd June 2015, Noting that authors’ rights are subject to intensive attacks from free use lobbying groups; Considering that any erosion of authors’ rights principles would hamper the economic situation of journalists in Europe and threaten quality journalism; Considering that the EU…

A delegation of the European Federation of Journalists (composed of EFJ Steering Committee member Urs Thalmann, EFJ Director Renate Schroeder and EFJ Trainee Hélène Brédart) met with Francine Cunningham, Executive Director of the European Newspaper Publishers Association (ENPA) to discuss issues of relevance to both organisations as well as follow-up of an EFJ resolution on social dialogue in Switzerland. The EFJ representatives outlined the difficult situation for journalists in Switzerland as the publishers continue to refuse to negotiate a collective agreement in the German and Italian speaking parts of the country. Both the EFJ and ENPA agree that the struggle for the…

In a meeting with Petra Kammerevert (MEP and SPD coordinator for media and cultural issues), Renate Schroeder (EFJ Director) and Michael Klehm (DJV senior advisor) discussed issues around media policy and media freedom, authors’ rights, spectrum policy, support for “entrepreneurial journalism”, TTIP, net neutrality and the revision of the audiovisual media framework. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) warned that unfair contracts, sometimes called “buy-out contracts”, destroy journalists’ authors’ rights. The EFJ delegation argued that the European Parliament’s “Reda report” on the harmonisation of certain aspects of copyright and related rights in the information society is harming the continental authors’ rights framework, in particular when…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) reiterates its solidarity with Domani newspaper subjected to constant attacks as well as with its journalists Giovanni Tizian, Nello Trocchia, and Stefano Vergine. They are under investigation for complicity in a concerted action with a public official regarding unauthorised access to documents and for revealing secrets through the publication of information contained in those documents. They face up to 9 years in prison. We believe that the decision by the Perugia prosecutor’s office to prosecute the journalists is an attempt to identify their sources. The following call for support was signed by more than…

UPDATE 12.09.2018: On 12 September, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation upheld the verdict delivered by the Moscow City Court to Ukrinform journalist Roman Sushchenko, who was sentenced to 12 years in a high-security prison. The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) have urged the Russian authorities to release a Ukrainian journalist given a 12-year sentence for alleged espionage. Roman Sushchenko was sentenced to 12 years in a high-security prison on 4 June 2018, after he was found guilty of spying by a Moscow court. The EFJ-IFJ joined its affiliates the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) and the…