On Tuesday, ambassadors of the member states of the European Union (EU) gave their approval to the preliminary agreement reached on December 15, 2023, between the European Council and negotiators from the European Parliament concerning a new legislation designed to create a unified structure for media services within the EU’s internal market. This legislation, known as the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), aims to uphold media freedom, ensure media plurality, and safeguard editorial independence across the EU.
EMFA will establish standardized regulations for media services within the EU’s internal market. It will also implement measures to shield journalists and media entities from political interference while facilitating their operations across internal EU borders. These regulations will secure citizens’ rights to access diverse and unbiased information, outlining the responsibility of Member States to create suitable conditions and frameworks for its protection.
“This is the first endorsement of a provisional agreement on culture and media under the Belgian Presidency, building on the efforts of the Spanish Presidency. Today is a landmark day for media freedom and pluralism in the EU. This new regulation will protect journalists and their sources and will allow citizens to make informed decisions on the basis of plural and independent information,” said Benjamin Dalle, Flemish Minister for Brussels Affairs, Youth, Media, and Poverty Reduction.
The Commission introduced its proposal for a regulation to establish a unified framework for media services in the internal market on September 16, 2022. This proposal, known as the EMFA, outlined fresh regulations to safeguard media pluralism and independence within the EU. Negotiations with the European Parliament regarding the final details of the law commenced on October 19, 2023, and were finalized with the provisional agreement reached on December 15, 2023.
The agreement’s text will now undergo finalization in all official languages and receive formal adoption by both institutions by April 2024.
“This is the first endorsement of a provisional agreement on culture and media under the Belgian Presidency, building on the efforts of the Spanish Presidency. Today is a landmark day for media freedom and pluralism in the EU. This new regulation will protect journalists and their sources and will allow citizens to make informed decisions on the basis of plural and independent information,” said Benjamin Dalle, Flemish Minister for Brussels Affairs, Youth, Media, and Poverty Reduction.
Context and future stepsThe European media freedom act #EMFA is here ✅
— EU Council (@EUCouncil) March 26, 2024
The Council has agreed on new EU rules to safeguard media freedom, pluralism and editorial independence in the EU.
More details ⬇️#MediaFreedom
The Commission introduced its proposal for a regulation to establish a unified framework for media services in the internal market on September 16, 2022. This proposal, known as the EMFA, outlined fresh regulations to safeguard media pluralism and independence within the EU. Negotiations with the European Parliament regarding the final details of the law commenced on October 19, 2023, and were finalized with the provisional agreement reached on December 15, 2023.
The agreement’s text will now undergo finalization in all official languages and receive formal adoption by both institutions by April 2024.
Source: consilium.europa.eu
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