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While €1 million will be allocated to further strengthen the position of media councils and to develop journalistic standards, the other €3.1 million will make sure the EU continues providing a rapid response mechanism to protect journalists under threat after 2023. The mechanism includes concrete tools enabling targeted journalists to pursue their professional activities.
Vice-President for Values and Transparency, Věra Jourová, said:
We are committed to strengthening our EU-wide rapid response mechanism to protect journalists. Since 2020, this mechanism has successfully provided assistance, legal aid, and shelters to journalists under threat. Most recently, it has helped Ukrainian journalists in exile. The mechanism also maps attacks against journalists and is therefore a key tool to monitor how our recommendations on the safety of journalists are followed up on the ground. With €3.1 million, a greater budget than ever, we will help even more journalists and further improve our monitoring tools.
Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton, added:
Media freedom and pluralism are key values on which our democracies stand and cannot be taken for granted. Supporting a rapid response mechanism will enable us to protect our journalists under threat and to monitor violations of press and media freedom.
Non-profit organisations, international organisations, universities, educational institutions and research centres within the EU and in associated countries including Ukraine may submit their proposal until 20 September 2022.