Media freedom
Media freedom is threatened according to new European report
On 26 April, the NGO Civil Liberties published its fifth annual report on media freedom, mapping developments concerning the media in 22 EU member states, including Sweden and Denmark, in 2025.
The report, based on information from Civil Liberties’ member and partner organisations, states that even though new EU legislation protecting media freedom and pluralism entered into force in 2025, these are under attack.
The findings show that media ownership concentration has continued to increase across the EU. Also, media transparency is still inconsistent in the EU, and fragmented databases obscure ultimate beneficial owners.
The report also states that public service media suffered severe systemic political interference, budget cuts, and structural changes that jeopardised its core mission. Concerning this, the safeguards set out in the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), which entered into force in August last year, have not yet been implemented in most member states.
Also, while the EMFA requires transparent and objective criteria of allocation, in many of the studied countries, state advertising is used for political influence. Furthermore, media and telecom regulators are also increasingly vulnerable to political pressure through funding cuts.
Finally, the safety of journalists reached a crisis point in 2025, with journalists and media workers being the victims of extreme physical violence and systemic legal harassment; for example, investigative reporters in both Italy and Greece were the victims of explosive attacks.
The report also examines the implementation of the EMFA and the Anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) Directive, and concludes that they are stalled in most member states. Most of the EMFA’s provisions had in late 2025 still not been incorporated into national law, and regarding the Anti-SLAPP Directive, which member states had until May this year to transpose into national law, the frameworks are still insufficient to offer proper protection in most EU countries.
(EU Media Freedom and Journalist Safety In Crisis In 2025)
Media organisations call for transposition of Anti-SLAPP directive
On 7 May this year, the EU’s Anti-SLAPP Directive, intended to protect journalists, media, researchers, and others participating in the public debate from abusive litigation, had to be transposed to national law by EU member states.
However, according to the coalition Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), which monitors press freedom violations across Europe, only a handful of countries had begun to implement the directive (amongst them Sweden and Finland, while the directive does not apply to Denmark).
A majority of EU countries have at least formally started the process to transpose the directive into national law, but according to the MFRR, only a few have expanded the protection to SLAPP-cases which lack a cross-border element – even though these represent more than 90 per cent of European SLAPP-cases.
The coalition writes: “Partial, delayed, or weak implementation will fail to provide effective protection and may allow abusive practices against the press to persist”. It suggests that the European Commission should closely monitor progress and be prepared to take swift infringement action where member states fall short.
Amongst the organisations that are part of the MFRR and signed the call is the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom, Free Press Unlimited, and the International Press Institute.
More information on how the implementation of the Anti-SLAPP Directive and the Council of Europe’s recommendation on countering SLAPPs is progressing in different European countries can be found at the European Anti-SLAPP Monitor.
(As deadline passes, MFRR renews call for urgent transposition of EU Anti SLAPP Directive)
EP worries about the state of fundamental rights and media freedom
On 29 April, the European Parliament voted on a resolution taking stock of the state of fundamental rights in the EU in 2024–2025. With an approval of 328 votes, 199 against, and 98 abstentions, the MEPs sound the alarm over the state of fundamental rights in the EU.
Amongst the things they raise is democratic backsliding and threats to media freedom and journalists’ safety. The report also raises concerns about disinformation, foreign interference, election manipulation, and the impact of digital platforms and artificial intelligence and calls for effective enforcement of the Digital Services Act, the AI Act, and rules on political advertising, as well as stronger safeguards against spyware and unjustified surveillance.
(Parliament sounds the alarm over the state of fundamental rights in the EU)
