Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reacted to the publication of the fifth EU Rule of Law Report (see EUROPE 13460/1) on Wednesday 24 July. The NGO is calling on the European Commission to “oblige states to uphold” press freedom and to “withhold funds from those who don’t cooperate”.
According to RSF, the fifth Rule of Law Report notes that there are “persistent concerns in EU Member States regarding the independence of public service media, the safety of journalists, the allocation of state advertising and the right of access to public documents.” The NGO also notes that the European Commission’s report “reflects and cites RSF’s 2024 World Press Freedom Index”.
Reporters Without Borders also regrets that, although 68% of the recommendations in the fourth report on the rule of law have been followed, since last year it is the countries “where press freedom is severely undermined”, such as Greece, Hungary and Bulgaria, that have complied the least. A deterioration in press freedom was particularly noticeable in Slovakia and Italy. (Original version in French by Florent Servia)