The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners today publish the Annual Monitoring Report for 2025, which documents 1,481 press freedom violations affecting 2,377 journalists or media-related entities in 36 European countries between January and December 2025. The report was compiled by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), and the International Press Institute (IPI).
Journalists and media outlets across Europe faced sustained threats throughout 2025, according to the latest Monitoring Report. Based on verified cases recorded in the Mapping Media Freedom database, the report provides a comprehensive overview of the main threats facing journalists across the 27 EU Member States and nine candidate countries.
The findings reveal persistent problems that cut across borders and political systems. Verbal attacks, smear campaigns, and intimidation remained the most frequently recorded violations. Digital threats continued to rise, while political actors were increasingly identified as sources of pressure against journalists. In several countries, the data points to deep-rooted structural issues rather than isolated incidents.
The Monitoring Report is structured in three parts:
- It opens with a general overview of trends and key statistics across Europe.
- Three thematic chapters then examine the impunity of crimes against journalists, the spread of foreign agent laws, and the continued use of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs).
- The final sections provide detailed country analyses of five EU Member States (Belgium, France, Italy, Hungary, and Spain) and six candidate countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Türkiye, Georgia, Serbia, and Ukraine.
Source: EFJ
