The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners today welcome the historic entry into force of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), which represents a landmark achievement in ongoing efforts to safeguard media pluralism and independence across the European Union. Today, 8 August 2025, marks a new era for media freedom in the EU and comes at a crucial time for the defence of democratic values within the bloc.
However, while some limited steps have been taken by national governments, overall progress is seriously lacking and many Member States have either yet to begin or are lagging behind in their obligation to align domestic legislation with the rules outlined by the EMFA, despite having had more than one year to do so.
As we mark the long-awaited entry into force of the Act today, our organisations jointly urge all Member States to promptly and fully implement the EMFA’s legally-binding regulations, and call on the European Commission to use all tools at its disposal to enforce them, most urgently in countries where media freedom has already been significantly eroded.
The entry into force of the EMFA follows its adoption in early 2024 and is the product of years of advocacy efforts and detailed negotiations, underpinned by the efforts of press and media freedom organisations, journalists and policymakers with a shared understanding of the fundamental importance of free media for democratic societies.
Key provisions now in force include Article 4 on surveillance, which is essential for protecting journalists from spyware and surveillance, Article 5, which ensures independence of public broadcaster financing, Article 3, which establishes the right to access a plurality of editorially independent media content, and Article 18, which aims to enhance transparency and accountability in the digital space. These and other key articles will be applicable even in the absence of national legislation, and local journalists, media workers and other actors can contest failures to implement them before national and European courts.
The success of the EMFA now hangs in the balance and will be dependent on political will within Member States. Moving forward, it is crucial therefore that national governments commit to significant reforms of their media legislation necessary to align with the EMFA’s standards, to ensure that the regulation does not become a dead letter but a living guarantee of press freedom that has immediate impact for journalists and media workers.
Regrettably, we are deeply concerned that many national governments are neither prepared nor politically willing to make the required legislative changes. This lack of commitment poses a serious risk to the EMFA’s effectiveness. To ensure its full potential, it is essential therefore that the European Commission and the European Board for Media Services rigorously monitor the EMFA implementation and use all legal tools available to act decisively to enforce its provisions whenever they are breached.
In the years ahead, MFRR partners – which have jointly helped drive forward this process from its inception – aim to play a key role in scrutinising this process. Through our future media freedom missions and reports, we will continue to assess the progress of national transposition and advocate for strong implementation by national governments. We commit to both holding authorities accountable and pushing the EU to enforce its rules.
With robust transposition across the EU, the EMFA’s unique regulatory framework can act as a vital tool for preventing and combating media capture, safeguarding independent public service broadcasting and protecting journalists from spyware and surveillance. Its full and effective implementation must now be a shared priority across Europe.
Signed by:
- European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
- ARTICLE 19 Europe
- European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
- Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
- International Press Institute (IPI)
- Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)
