Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001791/2024/rev.1
to the Commission
Rule 144
Joachim Streit (Renew)
The latest monitoring report by the Media Freedom Rapid Response consortium reveals that, in the first six months of 2024 alone, there were 756 media freedom violation alerts involving 1 212 media-related persons or entities. Of the alerts in the report, 474 relate to EU Member States, while 282 were recorded in candidate countries. The number of violations in Germany was 72. In Europe, intimidation and online threats targeting members of the press are increasing, and anti-media laws, spoofing, censorship, legal harassment, editorial interference and physical attacks are also on the rise. In many cases, such violations occur at the hands of the government or public officials. This trend is particularly concerning because of its potential to affect national and regional elections in EU Member States and undermine the EU’s democratic principles.
- 1.Is the Commission – and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in particular – aware of the dangerous situation faced by journalists? What does the Commission make of this situation in the light of the European Media Freedom Act?
- 2.What new measures does the Commission intend to take to protect editorial independence, journalistic sources and journalists’ physical safety?
- 3.Does the Commission plan to cut EU funding to Member States and candidate countries where press freedom is particularly under threat, such as Hungary?
Submitted: 23.9.2024