11/10/2024
As political interference and threats to journalists grow, the EU's new legislative measures, including the anti-SLAPP directive and the European Media Freedom Act, aim to safeguard press freedom in member and candidate countries. A recent webinar highlighted the struggle for media independence in Albania and Serbia amid their EU accession efforts
Free and independent media are vital for ensuring citizens' right to information and holding power accountable, forming a pillar of democracy. In recent years, the Media Freedom Rapid Response has noted declining media freedom across EU states and candidate countries, with political interference, lack of media ownership transparency, poor working conditions, and threats against journalists among the key concerns. In response, the EU introduced new legislative tools like the anti-SLAPP directive and European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), impacting both member and candidate countries.
The webinar shared findings from two Shadow Reports on media freedom in Albania and Serbia, focusing on challenges amid their EU accession processes
This webinar was produced as part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors, and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and candidate countries.
