Meeting at the EU Council in Luxembourg on Friday 2 October, EU justice ministers discussed new measures to better protect journalists and civil society organisations, during a working lunch devoted to their role in defending the rule of law.
Discussions covered abusive legal proceedings, physical and online threats, underfunding and foreign interference that journalists and civil society organisations may face.
Regarding civil society organisations, ministers discussed transparency in their funding and called for unjustified restrictions on their activities to be avoided.
At a press conference, European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection Michael McGrath highlighted that journalists and civil society organisations were “two essential pillars of a democracy”. He also raised the threats they face, including SLAPPs.
The European Commission is therefore preparing an update to its 2021 recommendation on the safety of journalists. Michael McGrath also mentioned the revision of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive and the funding earmarked for media and civil society organisations in the proposal for the EU’s 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), including the future programme AgoraEU, for which the European Commission has proposed €8.6 billion for culture, media and democracy (see EUROPE 13683/5). (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)