Brussels, 5 September 2024

In the last five years, quality information and the resilience of the press have allowed the European Union to successfully navigate several crises including a global pandemic, soaring inflation and geopolitical tensions. This is where free, independent, and economically viable journalism and press prove essential for safeguarding European economies and democracies. Therefore, the press and media should form an integral part of Europe’s strategic ambition for its democracies, competitiveness and global leadership.

The European Magazine Media Association (EMMA), the European Newspaper Publishers’ Association (ENPA) and News Media Europe (NME) stand united in calling on the European institutions to ensure that journalism and the press fully harness the opportunities offered in the digital age (click). Press and media issues have been addressed too often in the fringes of digital, cultural or justice policies. Building on the efforts of the past mandate of the European Commission, a concrete and holistic strategy for the growth and resilience of the independent press is fundamental to this ambition.

Firstly, legislation adopted in the previous mandate (DSA, DMA, EMFA, anti-SLAPP directive, Political Ads) should be enforced. Emphasis must be placed on ensuring that regulation supports rather than hinders the operations of newsrooms and editorial teams, with a focus on reinforcing creators and businesses vital to Europe’s democracy and sovereignty.

Secondly, grounds must be laid for a competitive, sustainable and thriving press sector in Europe to compete on equal terms with other dominant players in the in the (digital) media space. More specifically, this means:

1. Better IP protection and enforcement also with regards to generative AI
2. Press freedom and diversity on the platform internet
3. Fair competition and Fair, Reasonable, And Non-Discriminatory (FRAND) access to gatekeepers
4. Rules for a fair and open online advertising ecosystem
5. Increasing publishers’ resilience by safeguarding contractual freedom and the freedom to advertise
6. Ensure fair competition between public and private media to sustain a diverse and high-quality information landscape, vital for democracy.

The news media and press sector hold significant potential for growth, innovation, and job creation. We urge the European institutions to commit to a media competitiveness strategy that fully unlocks this potential.

Signed,

Protecting Press Freedom European press publishers’ priorities for the EU Legislative Period 2024-2029.pdf

Statement in pdf, click here.

For more information, contact Wout van Wijk, Executive Director at News Media Europe