Download News Media Europe’s suggested amendments to the European Media Freedom Act here.

We acknowledge the intention to protect press freedom, propose amendments in this spirit and look forward to playing a full part in the consultation. Our association has expressed strong reservations about the EMFA proposal in our position paper, which must be read as a basis for our amendments. Media policy is and should remain a national competence. Therefore the EMFA should not interfere with national laws and practices. The EMFA should establish media freedom principles and prevent government interference, rather than regulating media. Also, the EMFA should not undermine trust in media, but rather enhance it.

Our amendments focus on:

1. Clarifying definitions and editorial independence safeguards
2. Enhancing trust in all media service providers, big and small
3. Fostering trust in professional journalism in Europe
4. Ensuring the independence of the Board
5. Limiting the role of the European Board to substantial cross-border concentrations
6. Ensuring fair competition with public service media
7. Protecting access to editorial content on very large online platforms
8. Applying fair audience measurement systems, including for local media
9. Enforcing the rights of media service providers before independent complaint bodies
10. Taking social networks into account in state advertising rules.
11. Transparency of funding from third-country administrations

For more information, contact:

Wout van Wijk, Executive Director

Aurore Raoux, EU policy manager