Brussels, 25/03/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 22 March, the European Commission launched two public consultations - one on media freedom and media pluralism, and the other on the independence of audiovisual regulatory bodies. These consultations will be open until 14 June and give a formal framework to the debate started by the recommendations made in January 2013 by the independent high-level group on media freedom and pluralism that was set up by the Commission (see EUROPE 10768). “In the EU we face threats to our fundamental freedoms, such as media freedom and pluralism across Europe. The high-level group sent a strong signal that we need to take decisive action to ensure the freedom and pluralism of our media services in the future. Media pluralism is an important part of democracy”, said European Commissioner for the Digital Agenda Neelie Kroes.
The first, and wider, of the two consultations invites opinions on issues such as the scope of the EU's area of responsibility to act in order to protect media freedom, the respective roles of public authorities and self-regulation as well as protection of journalistic sources in Europe. The results will allow the Commission to identify whether broad support exists for European or national action in areas covered by the EU Treaties. The second consultation focuses specifically on the high-level group's recommendation that audiovisual regulatory bodies should be independent. Audiovisual media are subject to European Union regulation (Audiovisual and Media Services Directives - AVMS). The question raised is whether a review of Article 30 of the AVMS could better ensure the independence of the regulatory bodies.
In a press release, the European Parliament's ALDE Group welcomes the Commission's initiative. Renate Weber (Romania), who is the rapporteur on an EU Charter for media freedom in Europe, believes that the consultation on pluralism ought to enable the establishment of a regular mechanism of monitoring and reporting on the full respect of media freedom and pluralism. With regard to the independence of individual regulatory bodies, Weber is of the opinion that it is necessary to set up legally binding mechanisms to guarantee this independence, and she underlines the need to amend the current AVMS directive. The joint leader of the Greens Group, Rebecca Harms (Germany), also welcomes the Commission's initiative. In her view, ensuring media pluralism is of fundamental importance, given the recent concerns about the situation in Hungary and Bulgaria. “It is clear that more concerted action is needed. The European Union needs to have effective instruments to safeguard media freedom and pluralism of opinion in all its member states”, she says. (IL/transl.fl)