Debate: European Media Freedom Act
Date: TUESDAY, 3 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Věra Jourová
Language: EN

I remember very well the debate in March 2021 when we had just another frustrating debate about what we can and what we cannot do, and we discussed political interference in editorial freedom, about political pressures, about governmental attempts to silence free media. I remember myself saying repeatedly, we cannot do anything. We do not have the law, and then in the discussion being encouraged by your contributions and your similar conviction that the media should be protected better, I heard myself saying, yes, we will prepare the law. So here we are today.  I have to continue by thanking the rapporteurs – Madam Verheyen and the rapporteurs of the associated committees, Ms Strugariu and Mr Didier, as well as the shadow rapporteurs and Members for the intensive work on the European Media Freedom Act.  It was not an easy way to get here. The pressures against this law were enormous, and at the beginning, you may remember, many thought that this was mission impossible. I am so glad we are here today and we discuss seriously about the possible outcome that might create totally new conditions for European media to flourish, to do the job, and to be the strong pillar of our democracy.  Because the result of our debate in 2021 was that media must not be just another business on our single market. The role for democracy was and is obvious. We worked hard with my colleague Thierry Breton and all the colleagues in the Commission to deliver what many thought was not possible.  So what we try to achieve through the law is that we want to put for the first time in EU law that states should not interfere in editorial decisions, that no journalist can be spied on for doing their work, that no public service media should become a propaganda channel of one party. We require transparency of media ownership, transparency and fairness in the allocation of state advertising. We ask the media themselves to take measures to protect editorial independence and disclose conflict of interest. There is a strong focus in the Act on encouraging self-regulation and ethical standards.  We also strengthen the European coordination of national media regulators with the European Board for Media Services. We are creating new mechanisms such as mutual assistance to ensure coordination and solidarity in dealing with serious threats such as Russian propaganda.  The Act includes new requirements for Member States, which the Member States should follow when it comes to national measures which affect the media and to assess media concentration. Finally, we propose more safeguards for media in the online environment.  Honourable Members, you have worked intensively and fast on the Media Freedom Act and I am grateful to see that Parliament’s report recognises the importance of all the building blocks of our proposal. I note with great interest how you want to strengthen further the protection of journalists and the transparency of media markets.  I also note the importance of the debate in Parliament regarding how media content is moderated on very large online platforms. Let me emphasise that the media freedom is a piece of a broader puzzle. Let me mention the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, the Copyright Directive, and of course also the Digital Services Act and the Code of Practice against disinformation.  We believe that there is harmony, not cacophony, that all these rules and all these pieces of legislation work very well together.  I welcome the ambition of this House to turn this proposal into a reality this year. We don’t have much more time, but I am convinced that also with the Spanish Presidency, we can achieve the goal. I rely on them also. We have an opportunity which we should not miss, and there is an urgency to act.  So I want to thank you for your work and look forward to the continuation.