Arcom welcomes adoption of European Media Freedom Regulation

Arcom welcomes today's final adoption of the European Media Freedom Act(EMFA), which represents a major step forward in protecting the independence, freedom and plurality of the media, essential pillars of European democracies.

For nearly forty years, freedom of communication has been the cardinal principle underpinning audiovisual regulation in France. Protecting it is at the heart of the regulator's mission.

At national level, the holding of the Etats généraux de l'information and the keen interest shown in questions of media independence and plurality highlight the French people's attachment to these founding principles.

At European level, reports on the rule of law in the European Union highlight, year after year, that media freedom, independence and plurality have not been achieved, or are in danger of being threatened, in other countries.

Against this backdrop, Arcom believes that the final agreement reached by Europe's co-legislators on the EMFA is balanced and demonstrates an ambitious approach for the European media sector, both traditional and digital.

Arcom and its European counterparts, members of the European Regulators Group for Audiovisual Media Services (ERGA), are ready to take on the central role that EMFA will give to the future European Media Services Committee, which will replace ERGA - 10 years after its creation - and will be entrusted with many of the tasks arising from both EMFA and the Audiovisual Media Services Directive.

ERGA is already actively preparing the transition to this Committee, under the impetus of Arcom, which chairs the working group dedicated to EMFA implementation.A busy work schedule has been made provision for this year[1]. In particular, it makes provision for the preparation of the Committee's "mission statement" and multi-year strategy, which will set out, on the one hand, its main priorities and objectives for its first years of activity, and, on the other, its rules of procedure.

In the coming months, ERGA will be working constructively with the European Commission and consulting with media stakeholders to prepare for the launch of the Committee and the full implementation of the EMFA when it comes into force in early 2025.

[1] ERGA-SG2-ToR-2024-adopted.pdf (erga-online.eu)

ERGA press release

ERGA statement