Pet očekivanja novinarskih organizacija od novog mandata Europske komisije

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Faktograf se pridružio inicijativi vodećih europskih organizacija za slobodu medija i novinarstva koje su, povodom početka novog mandata Europske komisije, novim dužnosnicama uputile svoja očekivanja.
Pismo prenosimo u cijelosti na hrvatskom i engleskom jeziku.

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Poštovana predsjednice von der Leyen,

pišemo vam kao članovi medija i tiska, novinarskih organizacija i šire zajednice za slobodu medija kako bismo vam čestitali na vašem ponovnom imenovanju za predsjednicu Europske komisije i pozvali vas da osigurate da sloboda medija, zaštita novinara i pristup građana EU-a novinarstvu od javnog interesa ostanu visoki politički prioriteti tijekom nadolazećeg mandata vaše Komisije.

Posljednja Komisija poduzela je važne zakonodavne i nezakonodavne mjere za rješavanje pitanja slobode medija i zaštite novinara. Unatoč ovim hvalevrijednim naporima, sloboda medija diljem Europe podložna je ozbiljnim prijetnjama i ograničenjima, što predstavlja rizik za demokratske vrijednosti Europske unije. Novinari svojim radom njeguju takve vrijednosti, bore se protiv dezinformacija i doprinose boljem funkcioniranju institucija EU. Ključno je da sljedeća Komisija učvrsti ovo naslijeđe i podrži trajna i dugotrajna rješenja za jačanje prostora za slobodu medija, pluralizam i neovisnost, kao i održivost i konkurentnost medijskog sektora u Europi.

Mi, dolje potpisane organizacije, snažno vas potičemo da nastavite s nasljeđem dosadašnje potpredsjednice za vrijednosti i transparentnost te ponovno imenujete drugu potpredsjednicu s jasnim i snažnim mandatom za korištenje svih dostupnih mehanizama EU-a, uključujući politiku, zakonodavstvo i proračun, za promicanje medijskih sloboda i sigurnosti novinara. Konkretno, potičemo vas da izričito navedete ovaj mandat u svom pismu o misiji jednom od potpredsjednica, utvrđujući ga kao politički prioritet tijekom sljedećeg petogodišnjeg mandata.

Tražimo da potpredsjednica ima dovoljno snažan i opsežan mandat za rješavanje sljedećeg:

1. ojačati DG Connect da vodi brigu o medijima:

– zajamčiti da sloboda medija ostaje politički prioritet za Europsku komisiju i osigurati namjenski proračun i povećanje ljudskih resursa Glavnoj upravi za komunikacijske mreže, sadržaje i tehnologije (DG Connect) kako bi mogla djelovati kao vodeća Glavna uprava za medijske slobode i pluralizam – kao ojačano tijelo unutar Komisije. Time bi se osigurale potrebne sinergije i dosljedna provedba između digitalnih i medijskih politika, posebno kada je riječ o umjetnoj inteligenciji, autorskim pravima i audiovizualnim pravilima, kao i Zakonu o digitalnim uslugama.

2. ostvariti medijski zakon EU-a:

– osigurati ambicioznu provedbu Europskog akta o slobodi medija kako bi se promicala neovisnost medija, podržali javni medijski servisi, izgradila financijska održivost medija i ojačala učinkovitost Europskog odbora za medijske usluge („Odbor”) za, među ostalim, smisleno savjetovanje sa civilnim društvom.

– osigurati temeljitu i smislenu procjenu svih relevantnih instrumenata i zakonodavstva EU-a koji bi mogli utjecati na medijske slobode.

3. unaprijediti sigurnost novinara i novinarki:

– ambiciozno preispitati Preporuku o zaštiti, sigurnosti i osnaživanju novinara iz 2021. kako bi se unaprijedilo stalne napore država članica da poboljšaju sigurnost novinara, online i offline.

– u suradnji sa zajednicom zainteresiranom za slobodu medija, pružiti potporu i smjernice svim državama članicama EU-a u skladu s Preporukom Komisije o sigurnosti novinara, Direktivom protiv SLAPP-ova, Preporukom Vijeća Europe protiv SLAPP-ova i preporukama iz godišnjih izvješća o vladavini prava.

4. ojačati pluralizam medijskih pružatelja i osigurati održivost medija online i offline:

– koristiti mehanizme unutar Akta o digitalnim uslugama i Europskog akta o slobodi medija za jačanje pozicije europskog novinarstva u digitalnom okruženju i jačanje medija u uvjetima rasta i razvoja online platformi i umjetne inteligencije.

– uspostaviti namjensku strategiju financiranja informativnih medija, uključujući novi program za novinarstvo kao dio sljedećeg Višegodišnjeg financijskog okvira te osigurati stalnu potporu tekućim inicijativama financiranja.

5. ojačati djelovanje EU-a u području vladavine prava:

– ambiciozno i kreativno primjenjivati Uredbu o općem režimu uvjetovanja za zaštitu proračuna Unije iz 2020. tako što ćete uvjetovati sredstva EU-a kada kršenje slobode medija u državama članicama krši vladavinu prava i vrijednosti iz ugovora EU-a i odnosi se na proračun EU-a (uz moguću izmjenu Uredbe ukoliko se ne bude mogla uklopiti u tu ulogu).

– nadalje jačati dijalog oko mehanizma (i Izvješća) vladavine prava kako bi se pomno ispitale i poboljšale mjere koje poduzimaju države članice s ciljem opipljivog poboljšanja života i rada novinarki i novinara i izgradnje povjerenja u institucije EU-a da su sposobne zaštititi slobodu medija kao dio vladavine prava.

Zahvaljujemo na razmatranju našeg zahtjeva.

1. Albanian Media Institute
2. ARTICLE 19
3. Association of European Journalists (AEJ Belgium)
4. Cartoonists Rights
5. Center for Independent Journalism (CIJ Hungary)
6. Committee to Protect Journalists
7. Community Media Forum Europe (CMFE)
8. European Broadcasting Union (EBU)
9. European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
10. European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
11. European Partnership for Democracy (EPD)
12. Faktograf – Association for the Informed Public
13. Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
14. Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD)
15. IFEX
16. Initiative for Freedom of Expression-Turkey (IFoX)
17. International Media Support (IMS)
18. International Press Institute (IPI)
19. IPS Communication Foundation/ bianet
20. Lie Detectors
21. Media Diversity Institute (MDI)
22. Metamorphosis Foundation 
23. OBC Transeuropa (OBCT)
24. PEN International
25. Platform for Independent Journalism (P24)
26. Public Media Alliance (PMA)
27. Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
28. Society of Journalists (Warsaw)
29. South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO)
30. South East European Network for Profession­alization of Media (SEENPM)

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Dear President von der Leyen,

We are writing as members of the media and press, journalist organizations, and the wider media freedom community to congratulate you on your re-appointment as President of the European Commission, and to urge you to ensure that media freedom, the protection of journalists, and EU citizens’ access to public interest journalism remain high political priorities over the coming term of your Commission.

The last Commission took important legislative and non-legislative measures to address media freedom and the protection of journalists. Despite these laudable efforts, media freedom around Europe is subject to severe threats and restrictions, posing a risk to European Union democratic values. Through their work, journalists uphold such values, fight disinformation, and contribute to a better functioning of the EU institutions.  It is essential that the next Commission cement this legacy and support durable and long-lasting solutions to strengthen the space for media freedom, pluralism and independence as well as the sustainability and competitiveness of the media sector in Europe.

We, the undersigned organizations, strongly urge you to continue the legacy of the outgoing Vice-President for Values and Transparency and re-appoint another Vice-President with a clear and robust mandate to use all available EU mechanisms, including policy, legislation, and budget, to promote press freedom and the safety of journalists. In particular, we urge you to explicitly list this mandate in your mission letter to one of the Vice-Presidents, establishing it as a political priority over the next five-year term.

We ask that the Vice-President have a sufficiently robust and far-ranging mandate to address the following:

1. Reinforce DG Connect to lead on media:

– Guarantee that media freedom remains a political priority for the European Commission and provide a dedicated budget and human resources increase to DG Connect, to act as lead Directorate-General for media freedom and pluralism -as a strengthened body within the Commission. This would ensure necessary synergies and coherent enforcement between digital and media policies, in particular when it comes to artificial intelligence, copyright and audiovisual rules as well as the Digital Services Act. 

2. Make EU Media law a reality: 

– Ensure the ambitious enforcement of the European Media Freedom Act to promote media independence, support public service media, build financial sustainability of the media, and strengthen the effectiveness of the European Board of Media Services (“the Board”) to, amongst other things, consult meaningfully with civil society.

– Ensure a thorough and meaningful assessment of any relevant EU instruments and legislation that could impact press freedom. 

3. Advance the safety of journalists:

– Ambitiously review the Safety of Journalists Recommendation 2021 to advance the ongoing efforts by Member States to improve the safety of journalists, online and offline.  

– In cooperation with the press freedom community, provide support and guidance to all EU Member States in line with the Commission’s Journalist Safety Recommendation, the anti-SLAPP Directive, the anti-SLAPP Recommendation and recommendations from the Annual Rule of Law reports.

4. Strengthen the plurality of media providers and ensure media sustainability online and offline: 

– Use the mechanisms within the Digital Services Act and the European Media Freedom Act to strengthen the position of European journalism in the digital environment and strengthen media in the face of the growing emergence of online platforms and artificial intelligence.

– Establish a dedicated strategy of funding for the news media, including a new programme for journalism as part of the next Multiannual Financial Framework, and ensure the continuous support for ongoing funding initiatives.

5. Strengthen the EU’s action on the rule of law:

– Be ambitious and creative with regards to the application of the 2020 Regulation on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union budget by making EU funds conditional when violations of media freedom in Member States breach the rule of law and EU treaty values as they relate to EU budget (with a view to possibly opening and amending the 2020 Regulation if it cannot fit this role).

– Further strengthen the dialogue around the Rule of Law Mechanism (and Report) to scrutinize and improve measures taken by Member States with a view to tangibly improving the lives and work of journalists, and building trust in the EU institutions to safeguard media freedom as part of the rule of law.

Thank you for your consideration of our request.

1. Albanian Media Institute
2. ARTICLE 19
3. Association of European Journalists (AEJ Belgium)
4. Cartoonists Rights
5. Center for Independent Journalism (CIJ Hungary)
6. Committee to Protect Journalists
7. Community Media Forum Europe (CMFE)
8. European Broadcasting Union (EBU)
9. European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
10. European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
11. European Partnership for Democracy (EPD)
12. Faktograf – The Association for the Informed Public
13. Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
14. Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD)
15. IFEX
16. Initiative for Freedom of Expression-Turkey (IFoX)
17. International Media Support (IMS)
18. International Press Institute (IPI)
19. IPS Communication Foundation/ bianet
20. Lie Detectors
21. Media Diversity Institute (MDI)
22. Metamorphosis Foundation 
23. OBC Transeuropa (OBCT)
24. PEN International
25. Platform for Independent Journalism (P24)
26. Public Media Alliance (PMA)
27. Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
28. Society of Journalists (Warsaw)
29. South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO)
30. South East European Network for Profession­alization of Media (SEENPM)

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Naslovna fotografija/Cover Photo: Christian Lue/Unsplash