Media Freedom Regulation officially adopted by EU co-legislators

On April 11th, the EuropeanMedia Freedom Act (EMFA) was officially adopted by the co-legislators of the European Union - the Council and the European Parliament - establishing a new set of rules and mechanisms to promote media pluralism and independence in the European internal market.

The Regulation aims to protect journalists and media service providers, both public and private, from political interference in editorial decisions, while facilitating their cross-border operation and also ensuring transparency in media ownership.

It should be noted that the EMFA also provides for the creation of a new European body for media services, which will replace the current European Regulators Group for Audiovisual (ERGA), of which ERC is a member.

In a public statement, ERGA welcomed the adoption of the EMFA, reviewed the legislative process, identified needs and challenges and mapped out the demanding work ahead in implementing this legislation.

The Regulation is expected to be published in the Official Journal of the European Union within two weeks.