EMFA Article 3. Right of recipients of media services

Recipients of media services in the Union, namely natural persons who are nationals of Member States or benefit from rights conferred upon them by Union law and legal persons established in the Union, should be able to enjoy pluralistic media content produced in accordance with editorial freedom in the internal market. That is key to fostering public discourse and civic participation, as a broad range of reliable sources of information and quality journalism empowers citizens to make informed choices, including about the state of their democracies. It is also essential for cultural and linguistic diversity in the Union, given the role of media services as carriers of cultural expression. Member States should respect the right to a plurality of media content and contribute to an enabling media environment by making sure that relevant framework conditions are in place. Such an approach reflects the right to receive and impart information and the requirement to respect media freedom and media pluralism pursuant to Article 11 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the ‘Charter’), in conjunction with Article 22 thereof, which requires the Union to respect cultural, religious and linguistic diversity. Furthermore, in fostering the cross-border flow of media services, a minimum level of protection for recipients of media services should be ensured in the internal market. In the final report of the Conference on the Future of Europe, citizens called on the Union to further promote media independence and media pluralism, in particular by introducing legislation addressing threats to media independence through Union-wide minimum standards. It is thus necessary to harmonise certain aspects of national rules related to media services, also taking into consideration Article 167 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which reaffirms the importance of respecting the national and regional diversity of the Member States. However, Member States should have the possibility to adopt more detailed or stricter rules in specific fields, provided that those rules ensure a higher level of protection for media pluralism or editorial independence in accordance with this Regulation and comply with Union law and that Member States do not restrict the free movement of media services from other Member States which comply with the rules laid down in those fields. Member States should also retain the possibility to maintain or adopt measures to preserve media pluralism or editorial independence at national level regarding aspects not covered by this Regulation in so far as such measures comply with Union law, including Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council . It is also appropriate to recall that this Regulation respects the Member States’ responsibilities as referred to in Article 4(2) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU), in particular their powers to safeguard essential state functions.

In order to ensure that society reaps the benefits of the internal market for media services, it is essential not only to guarantee the fundamental freedoms under the Treaties, but also the legal certainty which is needed for the enjoyment of benefits of an integrated and developed market. In a well-functioning internal market, recipients of media services should be able to access quality media services which have been produced by journalists in an independent manner and in line with ethical and journalistic standards and which, therefore, provide trustworthy information. That is particularly relevant for news and current affairs content, which comprises a wide category of content of political, societal or cultural interest at local, national or international level. News and current affairs content has the potential to play a major role in shaping public opinion and has a direct impact on democratic participation and societal well-being. In that context, news and current affairs content should be understood as covering any type of news and current affairs content, regardless of the form it takes. News and current affairs content can reach audiences in diverse formats, such as documentaries, magazines or talk-shows, and can be disseminated in diverse ways, including by uploading it to online platforms. Quality media services are also an antidote against disinformation and foreign information manipulation and interference. Access to such services should also be ensured by preventing attempts to silence journalists, ranging from threats and harassment to censorship and cancelling of dissenting opinions, which could limit the free flow of information into the public sphere by reducing the quality and plurality of information. The right to a plurality of media content does not entail any corresponding obligation on any given media service provider to adhere to standards not set out explicitly by law.