Delegation of the European Union to Russia

04/30/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/30/2024 04:58

1497th Meeting of the Committee of Ministers (30 April 2024) - EU Statement on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day

On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, we reaffirm that media freedom is a cornerstone of democracy and lies at the heart of EU values and action. We recognize the crucial role played by journalists, media workers and free and independent media in protecting our democracies. This year, the day is dedicated to highlighting the significance of journalism amidst the current global environmental crisis.

The recently adopted EuropeanMedia Freedom Actand the Anti-SLAPP Directiveare manifest examples of the EU's commitment to support a free and independent media sector. Moreover, tools like EUvsDisinfo and the European Digital Media Observatory help our citizens to combat dis- and misinformation. Outside of the EU, we are steadily reinforcing our support to media practitioners, in close partnership with local actors.

The European Union highly values and supports the work of the Council of Europe in the field of media freedom, which was reaffirmed as a priority after the 4th Summit in Reykjavík. The Platform for the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalistsand the recently adopted Recommendation on Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) are valuable tools to this end.

Independent and pluralistic media continues to face challenges both in Europe and globally. Courageous journalists and media workers, particularly women and minority voices, are increasingly subjected to threats, attacks, and disinformation campaigns. This is particularly evident in conflict zones and countries with stringent media controls.

Journalists operate in increasingly dangerous conditions, both in and outside conflict zones. A wide range of threats and constraints against journalists persist, including online and offline harassment, abusive litigation and targeted shutdowns of independent media outlets. The prosecution of independent journalists, wherever it may happen, is of concern.

Press freedom is also about independent media outlets. Overconcentration of media enterprises to the hand of the few is of high concern. To counter this trend, we need to strengthen our support to public interest media and commit to clear principles for media transparency, ownership and oversight.

At a time when reliable information is more essential than ever, especially due to challenges posed by disinformation and artificial intelligence, we underline that attacks on press freedom are attacks on democracy itself. On this day, we call for the protection of all journalists and media workers and for decisive action to improve the conditions of free and independent media.

Alignments: Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, San Marino, Ukraine, United Kingdom