Advocacy

With the growing number of attacks against journalists and media freedom violations observed in Europe, as well as globally, and new emerging challenges, it is imperative to keep press and media freedom high on the political agenda.

Advocacy is crucial to raise awareness and provide direct responses to media freedom threats and alerts, building upon monitoring results and analyses. It can take the form of direct advocacy, advocacy missions on the ground and awareness-raising campaigns, whereby all activities mutually enrich each other.

Advocacy actions, statements and open letters

 

Depending on the specific threat or media freedom violation, ECPMF responds with tailored joint statements, open letters or direct diplomacy. The aim is to target national authorities and political stakeholders across the EU and CC and raise public pressure on the states to protect media freedom.

Advocacy mission results

 

When media freedom violations occur, or long-lasting problematic processes persist, or in those situations where a close co-operation between local and international players is key to any solution, advocacy missions represent an important intervention on the ground.

In the course of such missions, representatives of the consortium spend a few days in a country with the dual goal of fact-finding and advocacy. In conversation with local players, problems are framed, solutions identified, and joint strategies developed. At the same time, the presence of an international delegation in the country gives visibility to the problem and allows for dialogue with representatives of state institutions whose responsibilities are relevant to the problem. Advocacy and fast-reaction missions are joint efforts of the freedom of expression community.

Statement

Albania: Democratic reform of public broadcaster RTSH remains only viable option

Using funding cuts, suspension, or closure as reform tools violates EU principles for public service media.

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Statement

Georgia: Restrictive new funding law would further cut off media and journalists

The MFRR partners strongly condemn the proposals of the Georgian Dream (GD) ruling party to implement a series of legislative amendments that would impose additional restrictions and penalties on recipients of grants and foreign funding.

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Statement

Poland: Opinion on EMFA reform of Broadcasting Law

The International Press Institute (IPI), the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and Free Press Unlimited (FPU) provide the following contribution to the public consultation into the draft act to amend the Polish Broadcasting and Television Act. The draft Act published by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage represents a core element of the implementation of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA).

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Statement

Amendments to Albania’s Criminal Code must be strengthened to ensure full decriminalisation of defamation

The undersigned organisations of the SafeJournalists Network, partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), Reporters Without Borders (RSF) today stress that recent amendments to Albania’s Criminal Code, though positive, must be strengthened to ensure full decriminalisation of defamation.

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Statement

EU: MFRR contributes to European Union annual Rule of Law report

Last week, Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partner organisations submitted contributions to the European Union’s annual Rule of Law report for 2026, identifying key developments for media freedom and pluralism and outlining recommendations for reform.

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Statement

Public Interest Journalism Lab (PIJL) and European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) announce a new Open Call for the Scholarship support project in 2026

Public Interest Journalism Lab (PIJL), in cooperation with European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), announces a new Open Call for applications from Ukrainian independent media and journalists in 2026.

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