EN Official Journal of the European Union C 140/8

Council conclusions of 22 May 2008 on a European approach to media literacy in the digital environment

(2008/C 140/08)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Considering that:

— the new Audiovisual Media Services Directive calls for the ‘development of media literacy in all sections of society’ and for close monitoring of progress in media literacy. It sets out a reporting obligation for the Commission to measure levels of media literacy in all the Member States (1). Criteria for the assessment of levels of media literacy are therefore needed,

— the European Parliament has asked the Council and the Commission ‘to develop and to implement media literacy programmes to promote active and aware citizenship in Europe’ (2),

— the crucial importance of media literacy has also been highlighted by Unesco, for instance in the ‘Grünwald Declaration on Media Education’ (1982) and in the Paris Agenda — twelve recommendations for media education (2007) and by the Council of Europe in its ‘Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to member states on empowering children in the new information and communications environment’ (2006),

— the Commission has undertaken a public consultation on media literacy (3) and a study on ‘Current trends and approaches to media literacy in Europe’ (4),

— the Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council on key competences for lifelong learning (2006) identifies the knowledge, skills and attitudes related to digital competence,

— the Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on the protection of minors and human dignity and on the right of reply in relation to the competitiveness of the European audiovisual and on-line information services industry (2006) already contains a series of possible measures for promoting media literacy.

1. WELCOMES

— the Commission Communication on ‘A European approach to media literacy in the digital environment’ as a further building block to European audiovisual policy.

2. ENDORSES

— the strategic view proposed by the European Commission of media literacy as an important factor for active citizenship in today's information society which can contribute towards achieving the objectives of the Lisbon agenda.

3. RECOGNISES

— the importance of media literacy and its role to promote citizens' active participation in the economic, cultural and democratic life of society,

— that media literacy, particularly the capacity to critically evaluate content, largely conditions users' confidence in digital technologies and media, and therefore the take-up of ICT and media, which are defined as a priority in the ‘i2010’ strategic policy framework,

— the importance of media literate users for media pluralism and the quality of content,

— the variety of efforts ongoing in Member States to improve and promote media literacy even if there are differences in practices and levels between Member States,

— the lack of common criteria and indicators for measuring media literacy,

— the importance of identifying and promoting good practices for the development of media literacy,

— the importance of education and training in the development of greater media literacy and the consequent need to improve teacher training and raise awareness among educators at all levels of education and training.

4. UNDERLINES

— the relevance of European programmes and initiatives such as the MEDIA 2007 Programme, the Lifelong Learning Programme 2007-2013 and the Safer Internet plus Programme,

— that future work should be based on these and related initiatives, towards the goal of achieving more awareness of the importance of media literacy among citizens,

— the need for regular exchange of information, best practices and, in the field of education, pedagogical methods between Member States.

5. TAKES NOTE

— of the Commission's intention to carry out a further study with the aim of developing criteria and indicators to measure media literacy levels, taking due account of all relevant work ongoing within other international organisations,

— of the Commission's intention to continue to promote the development and exchange of good practices on media literacy in the digital environment.

6. INVITES THE COMMISSION

— to monitor developments in this area closely and keep under review the need for a further policy response at European level,

— to use the Contact Committee, established under the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, in an appropriate composition, as a forum for the exchange of information and best practices on media literacy and the provision of input to the development of the policy agenda in this area. Experts from the private sector and other stakeholders should be invited to contribute to this work.

7. INVITES THE MEMBERS STATES TO

— encourage the appropriate authorities, for example those in charge of audiovisual and electronic communication regulation, to cooperate and to promote the improvement of media literacy,

— promote and facilitate the development and implementation of codes of conduct and other co-regulatory and self-regulatory initiatives in conjunction with all interested parties at national level,

— encourage all stakeholders, in particular within the media and ICT sector, to carry out their own regular research into and observation of the different aspects and dimensions of media literacy,

— promote awareness-raising initiatives including those focusing specifically on the use of ICTs that are directed to young people and their parents and involve youth organisations as well as the media,

— promote media literacy in the framework of their lifelong learning strategies and encourage peer learning and the exchange of good practices between teaching professionals on this aspect of education.

(1) Article 26: the Commission shall submit ‘a report on the application of this Directive and, if necessary, make further proposals to adapt it to developments in the field of audiovisual media services, in particular in the light of recent technological developments, the competitiveness of the sector and levels of media literacy in all Member States’.

(2) Resolution of 6 September 2005, on the ‘Television without Frontiers’ Directive (89/552/EEC).

(3) See Report on the results on the public consultation on Media Literacy:

http://ec.europa.eu/avpolicy/media_literacy/docs/report_on_ml_2007.pdf

(4) See: http://ec.europa.eu/avpolicy/media_literacy/index_en.htm