Source: European Parliament
The Commission attaches great importance to upholding and fostering pluralistic and independent media in the EU — a key pillar of our democratic societies — and condemns any attempts to illegally access data of citizens, as well as any form of interference in the professional activities of journalists and their editorial independence.
EU law on data protection and privacy offers comprehensive protection to the confidentiality of communications and users’ personal data and terminal equipment.
Moreover, Article 4(3) of the European Media Freedom Act[1], which will start applying in August 2025, provides a set of safeguards for the protection of journalistic sources and confidential communications, in particular against the deployment of intrusive surveillance software.
In this light, any action or decision at national level should respect those safeguards and the Commission is closely following the preparations in Member States to implement and apply them, engaging with the relevant national authorities and ensuring alignment with the Act’s objectives and requirements.
The Commission will also continue to monitor the situation of media freedom and pluralism in all Member States, including within the forthcoming 2025 Rule of Law Report[2].