European media regulators issue a joint response to foreign disinformation and will strengthen their cooperation

*Arcom summons attention to the press release from the ERGA presidency (in French and English)*.

Within ERGA, of which the Belgian French Superior Audiovisual Council holds the presidency, European media regulators have decided to strengthen their collaboration to address a common response to the problems of disinformation, which is at the heart of concerns about safeguarding democracy and European values. Regulators will work closely together to assert European digital and media sovereignty and create a safe environment where fundamental rights are fully implemented and respect for human dignity is the cornerstone.

Through a group focusing on disinformation and safeguarding democracies in the digital environment, ERGA will contribute to the development and monitoring of the new code of disinformation practices. A taskforce will be set up to focus specifically on foreign disinformation in the current Ukrainian context. This taskforce intends to become a hub for sharing experiences and best practices in analyzing the media environment with a specific focus on disinformation stories from foreign actors and information manipulation related to the current situation on Ukraine's borders.

To coordinate action at European level, an effective exchange of information is essential. In this respect, ERGA represents a relevant platform, as demonstrated in the cooperation of national managers in the context of Russia Today in Germany. This close collaboration ensured that the obligations and standards of European media law were met. It showed that the rules of EU member states could not be circumvented. The German example shows that collaboration ensures the maintenance of democratic media order.

"Disinformation is a major issue for ERGA, and fighting it requires cooperation between regulators to meet the challenges it presents. Strengthening collaboration and sharing information between independent national regulators is the key to raising awareness of, and finding a common solution to, the misinformation that affects many European citizens", insisted Karim Ibourki, Chairman of ERGA and the Belgian French Superior Audiovisual Council.

View the original press release

Further information
Current ERGA activities
ERGA Work Programme 2022

About ERGA :
The European Regulators Group for Audiovisual Media Services (ERGA) is composed of the national regulatory authorities in the field of audiovisual media services. ERGA advises the European Commission and facilitates cooperation between regulatory bodies in the EU. Mr. Karim Ibourki, President of the Belgian French Superior Audiovisual Council (French Superior Audiovisual Council), is the current Chairman of ERGA.