Proposal for a Regulation establishing a common framework for media services in the internal market (European Media Freedom Act) and amending Directive 2010/13/EU

Summary:

Legislative initiative tabled by the European Commission on 16 September 2022, setting out a common framework aimed at protecting media pluralism and independence in the European Union (EU). It is known as the European Media Freedom Act. This is a text with EEA relevance.

Further information:

The proposed Regulation includes, among others, safeguards against political interference in editorial decisions and against surveillance. It puts a focus on the independence and stable funding of public service media as well as on the transparency of media ownership and of the allocation of state advertising. It also sets out measures to protect independence of editors and disclose conflicts of interest. Finally, the Act aims to address the issue of media concentrations and create a new independent European Board for Media Services, comprised of national media authorities.

The draft law was tabled by the European Commission on 16 September 2022, alongside a Recommendation focusing  on internal safeguards for editorial independence and ownership transparency in the media sector.

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• Alternative Source

Commentary and Analysis

Hungary Today: Opinion, 13/09/2022: The EU’s Media Freedom Act is a Concealed Threat to the Freedom of Speech https://hungarytoday.hu/opinion-the-eus-media-freedom-act-is-a-concealed-threat-to-the-freedom-of-speech/

European Centre for Press & Media Freedom (ECPMF): Joint Statement on the Proposal for the European Media Freedom Act (16 September 2022) https://www.ecpmf.eu/joint-statement-on-the-proposal-for-the-european-media-freedom-act/

Article 19: Resources, 16/09/2022: EU: Media Freedom Act is an important step in safeguarding media plurality https://www.article19.org/resources/eu-media-freedom-act/

European Publishers Council (EPC): News, 16/09/2022: European Commission unveils bold and ambitious Media Freedom Act https://www.epceurope.eu/post/european-commission-unveils-bold-and-ambitious-media-freedom-act

London School of Economics (LSE): EUROPP Blog, 16/09/2022: The democratic fightback has begun: The European Commission’s new European Media Freedom Act https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2022/09/16/the-democratic-fightback-has-begun-the-european-commissions-new-european-media-freedom-act/

Reporters Without Borders (RSF), 16/09/2022: Proposed European Media Freedom Act adopts the approach of the New Deal for Journalism https://rsf.org/en/proposed-european-media-freedom-act-adopts-approach-new-deal-journalism

European Policy Centre (EPC): Events, 19/09/2022: The Media Freedom Act: enforcing media pluralism for resilient European democracies? https://www.epc.eu/en/events/The-Media-Freedom-Act-enforcing-media-pluralism~4a43b8

Euronews, 19/09/2022: Media freedom: 'We see a negative trend in almost all member states’, says Věra Jourová https://www.euronews.com/2022/09/19/vera-jourova-we-should-do-more-to-protect-the-media-against-political-interference

London School of Economics (LSE): Media@LSE Blog, 20/09/2022: The democratic fightback has begun: The European Commission’s new European Media Freedom Act https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/medialse/2022/09/20/the-democratic-fightback-has-begun-the-european-commissions-new-european-media-freedom-act/

The Platform Law Blog, 23/09/2022: Unravelling the Media Freedom Act proposal: Ambitious yet underwhelming? https://theplatformlaw.blog/2022/09/23/unravelling-the-media-freedom-act-proposal-ambitious-yet-underwhelming/

European Digital Rights (EDRi): Resources, 05/10/2022: New EU Regulation pushes for journalism and media protection online https://edri.org/our-work/new-eu-regulation-pushes-for-journalism-and-media-protection-online/

eucrim: News, 14/10/2022: Proposal for a European Media Freedom Act https://eucrim.eu/news/proposal-for-a-european-media-freedom-act/

European University Institute (EUI): EUIdeas Blog, 21/10/2022: Why the European Media Freedom Act is a groundbreaking step for Europe https://euideas.eui.eu/2022/10/21/why-the-european-media-freedom-act-is-a-groundbreaking-step-for-europe/

France24: Talking Europe, 04/11/2022: Media vs meddling: Dissecting the new 'European Media Freedom Act' https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/talking-europe/20221104-media-vs-meddling-dissecting-the-new-european-media-freedom-act

EPRS: Briefing, November 2022: European media freedom act https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI(2022)739202

Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD): News, 06/12/2022: The European Media Freedom Act: what’s at stake? https://gfmd.info/emfa-whats-at-stake/

Elcano Royal Institute: Working Paper, 16/12/2022: The geopolitical implications of the EU’s Media Freedom Act https://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/en/work-document/the-geopolitical-implications-of-the-eus-media-freedom-act/

International Press Institute (IPI): Newsroom, 20/12/2022: How the European Media Freedom Act could affect Hungary and Poland https://ipi.media/how-the-european-media-freedom-act-could-affect-hungary-and-poland/

Verfassungsblog, 24/12/2022: A fragmented response to media freedom at risk in the Union https://verfassungsblog.de/a-fragmented-response-to-media-freedom-at-risk-in-the-union/

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News

Politico, 08/09/2022: EU aims to shield media from state interference https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-rules-aim-to-shield-media-from-state-interference/

EurActiv, 08/09/2022: Commission to present new media law, leaving ownership unaddressed https://www.euractiv.com/section/media/news/commission-to-present-new-media-law-leaving-ownership-unaddressed/

Deutsche Welle, 16/09/2022: EU's media act steps up fight for press freedom https://p.dw.com/p/4GmiC

France24, 16/09/2022: European Union toughens stance on state meddling in media https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20220916-european-union-toughens-stance-on-state-meddling-in-media

Reuters, 16/09/2022: EU wants to ensure independent media, tougher media mergers rules https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-wants-tougher-rules-media-pluralism-mergers-against-spying-journalists-2022-09-16/

EUObserver, 16/09/2022: New EU media bill seeks to curtail government meddling https://euobserver.com/rule-of-law/156078

Le Monde, 16/09/2022: Brussels wants to legislate to preserve European media freedom and independence https://www.lemonde.fr/en/economy/article/2022/09/16/brussels-wants-to-legislate-to-preserve-european-media-freedom-and-independence_5997131_19.html

Associated Press (AP News), 16/09/2022: EU drafts media act amid concern over spying, state pressure https://apnews.com/article/executive-branch-brussels-5058e3ab9651727045b9cf6b9a4cf165

Balkan Insight, 16/09/2022: EU adopts measures to defend media pluralism and independence https://balkaninsight.com/2022/09/16/eu-adopts-measures-to-defend-media-pluralism-and-independence/

RFI News, 19/09/2022: European Commission adopts media legislation to protect press freedom https://www.rfi.fr/en/europe/20220919-european-commission-adopts-media-legislation-to-protect-press-freedom

EurActiv, 05/12/2022: EU Council completes first review of Media Freedom Act https://www.euractiv.com/section/media/news/eu-council-completes-first-review-of-media-freedom-act/

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Official

EUR-LEX: SWD(2022)286: Staff Working Document accompanying the Proposal - Impact Assessment Report https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=SWD:2022:286:FIN

EUR-LEX: SWD(2022)287: Staff Working Document accompanying the Proposal - Executive Summary of the Impact Assessment Report https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=SWD:2022:287:FIN

European Parliament: Legislative Observatory: Procedure File for Proposal on European Media Freedom Act (2022/0277(COD)) https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?lang=en&reference=2022/0277(COD)

European Parliament: Legislative Train Schedule: Proposal for a Regulation establishing a common framework for media services in the internal market (European Media Freedom Act) and amending Directive 2010/13/EU https://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-a-new-push-for-european-democracy/file-european-media-freedom-act

European Commission: Press Release, 16/09/2022: European Media Freedom Act: Commission proposes rules to protect media pluralism and independence in the EU https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_5504

European Commission: Questions & Answers: European Media Freedom Act (16 September 2022) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_22_5505

S&D EP Group: Newsroom, 16/09/2022: EU Media Freedom Act essential to stop disinformation, propaganda and threats to independent journalism https://www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu/newsroom/eu-media-freedom-act-essential-stop-disinformation-propaganda-and-threats-independent

Irish Government: Press Release, 10/10/2022: Minister Martin meets with European Commission Vice-President Věra Jourová https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/917ee-minister-martin-meets-with-european-commission-vice-president-vera-jourova/

Finnish Government: Press Release, 10/11/2022: Finland supports the objectives of the European Media Freedom Act https://valtioneuvosto.fi/en/-/finland-supports-the-objectives-of-the-european-media-freedom-act

EU EDPS: Press Release, 14/11/2022: EU Media Freedom Act: EDPS calls for better protection for all journalists and a ban on highly advanced military-grade spyware https://edps.europa.eu/press-publications/press-news/press-releases/2022/eu-media-freedom-act-edps-calls-better-protection-all-journalists-and-ban-highly-advanced-military-grade-spyware_en

European Regulators Group for Audiovisual Media Services (ERGA): Press Release, 29/11/2022: European Media Freedom Act (EMFA): ERGA adopts its position paper supporting the initiative and calling for an effective independence of the new European Board for Media Services https://erga-online.eu/?p=1269

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