As part of a bold plan to strengthen media freedom and pluralism across the European Union, the European Commission has called for proposals to: European Festival of Journalism and Media Freedom. With a budget of €3 million, this three-edition festival will be a cornerstone in fostering dialogue between journalists, media outlets, civil society organizations and media professionals.
Bridging the Media Freedom Gap: The Vision Behind the Festival
The festival is designed as a forum to address the critical challenges facing the media sector, including legislative complexity, disinformation, journalist safety, and economic sustainability. It also aims to raise awareness of the essential role journalists play in democracies and the obstacles they face, such as threats to press freedom within EU member states.
One of the highlights is the debate surrounding the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), which comes into effect in May 2024. The law represents a watershed moment in EU media legislation, with a focus on editorial independence, media ownership transparency and protection from unfair content. Removed from major online platforms.
Request for Proposal: Who can apply?
The committee invited media organizations, NGOs, editors, publishers, universities and research centers to submit proposals by the deadline. March 1, 2025. The successful candidate will be responsible for organizing the festival three times a year and creating a platform to foster contribution and discussion. Each edition concludes with actionable policy recommendations and best practices to strengthen media pluralism and freedom, in line with the Commission’s Political Guidance for 2024-2029.
The wider context of the festival
The festival builds on the EU’s firm commitment to media freedom and pluralism, as enshrined in Article 11 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. This is consistent with the Commission’s strategic plans, including the European Democracy Action Plan and the Rule of Law Mechanism.
European press freedom law: a game changer
EMFA, based on the revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive, provides a comprehensive framework to protect media independence. These include:
- Editorial Independence: Protect media outlets and prohibit the use of spyware.
- transparency: Ensures disclosure of media ownership.
- public media safeguards: Establish financial sustainability and governance protections for public broadcasting.
- Content Moderation: Prevent arbitrary content deletion from large online platforms.
- market integrity: Impact assessment of media market integration is needed.
These measures underline the EU’s determination to tackle issues such as strategic litigation against public participation (SLAPP), digital monopolies and the economic vulnerability of the media industry.
Support for journalists and media professionals
The European Commission’s interest in the media goes beyond legislative activity. It has allocated significant direct funding to projects aimed at monitoring press freedom, protecting journalists, and supporting collaborative initiatives. for example:
- that Media Pluralism MonitorThis report, developed by the Center for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF), assesses the risks to media pluralism across Europe.
- that Creative Europe Programpromotes cross-border media collaboration and innovation with a budget of €2.5 billion.
At the same time, recovery plans such as the COVID-19 National Support Framework and the REACT-EU program have provided financial relief to media outlets struggling under economic pressures.
Ongoing problem solving
Despite this progress, the EU’s Rule of Law 2024 report highlighted persistent challenges:
- The financial stability of public broadcasters is limited.
- There is a lack of transparency in media ownership.
- Unequal distribution of state advertising funds.
- Gaps in journalist safety protection.
The festival aims to address these issues head-on and provide a platform for diverse stakeholders to engage in dialogue and develop workable solutions.
An important step toward media freedom
The European Festival of Journalism and Media Freedom represents an important step in strengthening the role of the media as a cornerstone of democracy. By fostering cooperation, dialogue and awareness, the EU is not only addressing current challenges, but also paving the way for a resilient and pluralistic media environment of the future.
As the March 2025 deadline approaches, the request for proposals is expected to attract a diverse range of applicants interested in contributing to this important mission. With its ambitious scope and practical support, the festival promises to have a significant impact on media freedom and pluralism in Europe.
