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Week ending September 13, 2014

EBU and Council of Europe reinforce cooperation on media freedom - September 8, 2014
from Michelle Roverelli/EBU

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and The Council of Europe have agreed to boost cooperation to promote media freedom and pluralism in the Balkans and Eastern Europe.

The agreement was decided during a meeting in Strasbourg on Monday (8 September) between EBU Director General Ingrid Deltenre and Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland within the framework of a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2011.

"The EBU and The Council of Europe share the conviction that well-functioning public service media (PSM) are vital to European democracy," Ms Deltenre said. "We welcome the chance to work even more closely with the Council of Europe in the coming years."

Mr Jagland also welcomed the announcement. "Public service, in particular public service media, are an indicator of the state of democracy in a society and of the state of society itself."

A bilateral coordination group will discuss a joint programme of work and the allocation of responsibilities and funding.

The EBU is already implementing a wide-ranging action plan, co-funded by the European Commission, to promote the democratic role of PSM in the EU accession countries. This includes top-quality professional assistance in areas ranging from strategic consultancy to legal advice, news standards, accountability, programmes for minorities, archiving and digitalisation.

Amid renewed collaboration with the Council of Europe, these activities will be expanded in pursuit of goals set by the Commission in their 2014-2020 Guidelines for Media Freedom and Integrity in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.

The two organizations also pledged to increase their cooperation to strengthen PSM in the EU's Eastern Partnership countries – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

The Council of Europe plays an important role in setting standards for the legal framework of PSM, and the EBU has accumulated unique professional expertise working since 1950 both for and with, broadcasters.

Among many principles, the two organizations share a conviction that PSM must be independent. “Greater cooperation based on their respective core competences will enable them to provide assistance as efficiently as possible,” said Ms Deltenre.

"Public service media must not only be independent," Ms Deltenre added. "They also need to be funded adequately if they are to play their essential role of ensuring an informed citizenship and achieving social cohesion. At the same time they must drive innovation and contribute to a vibrant economy."