Now in force, the EMFA must become a reality for journalists

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The European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) comes fully into force today, 8 August 2025. Yet, in most EU Member States, the EMFA is still a long way from being implemented. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) is calling on all EU governments to fulfil their obligations and execute the necessary reforms without delay for the EMFA to become the long-awaited shield that protects free and independent journalism in the European Union.

 

“It’s historic. For the first time, there is a regulation dealing with the work of journalists, protecting journalism, media pluralism, transparency and many other issues we have never been able to regulate at the European level before,” said EFJ Director Renate Schroeder. “This has also to be seen within the context of the EU’s capacity to assert regulators’ control over the digital gatekeepers when it comes to the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act,” she added.

 

The EFJ has been leading the advocacy work for over two years to secure an ambitious text, which was adopted in early 2024, together with other media freedom groups, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and civil society organisations. Despite  limitations and legal uncertainties, this act stands as a robust defense against unprecedented assaults on journalism, journalists, and media professionals, if Member States proceed with an ambitious transposition. 

 

In particular, the regulation recognises for the first time the protection of sources and protection from spyware (Article 4), the independence and financial sustainability of Public Service Media (Article 5); the individual right to access a plurality of editorially independent media content (Article 3), media pluralism and transparency of media ownership and state advertisement. From now, all the articles are applicable, even in the absence of national legislation, and journalists and other stakeholders are able to challenge any failure to comply with the regulation before national and European courts.

 

“Member States must take the EMFA seriously and transform it into genuine protection for journalists. The transposition process, which should have been completed by now, must include all relevant stakeholders including journalists, civil society and self-regulatory organisations, as well as media experts in a structural dialogue with the newly installed the Media Board in order to make it really meaningful and something that it’s worth calling a European Media Freedom Act,” added Renate Schroeder.

 

A dedicated working group within the European Parliament will scrutinise the implementation and enforcement of the EMFA in the coming years. The Chair Sabine Verheyen, Vice-President of the European Parliament and main negotiator for the EMFA, said: “For the first time, EU law protects journalism from political interference, surveillance and abusive lawsuits. It demands real transparency, it strengthens public media. It is a big step for journalism, for democracy, and for all of us who believe in the right to know. Now comes the real work, making sure this law lives up to its promise.” 

 

The Center for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF) has organised in cooperation with the EFJ a series of webinars on those articles most important to the journalists‘ and media freedom community. These webinars will continue in the autumn.

 

Read more:

CMPF Observatory on the European Media Freedom Act

European Media Freedom Act (EMFA): What does it mean for journalists ?

 

Source: EFJ

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