European Charter on Freedom of the Press

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The European Charter on Freedom of the Press is a non-binding guideline on press freedom, signed on 25 May 2009 in Hamburg by 48 editors-in-chief and leading journalists from 19 European countries. It is open for signature by all journalists, e.g. the prohibition of censorship, free access to national and foreign media sources and freedom to gather and disseminate information. [1]

Contents

Content

The Charter condense in 10 articles the main media freedom principles, including the right to safety from surveillance, electronic eavesdropping and searches of editorial departments and computers, and remarks the need for unimpeded access for journalists and citizens to all domestic and foreign sources of information. It formulates the main values that public authorities - including EU institutions - should respect when dealing with journalists. [2] [3]

History

The idea of the Charter was born in 2007 out of the yearly policy dialogue which started in 2005 between European Commissioner Viviane Reding (assisted by the Commission's Media Task Force) and the editors-in-chief of European newspapers, headed by Stern's Hans-Ulrich Jörges. [2] [3]

The Charter was handed to the European Commission in Brussels on 9 June 2009 and to the Council of Europe in Luxembourg on 26 October 2009, with the aim that it may become a benchmark in their assessment exercises on media freedom in member and candidate countries, and that it may empower journalists across Europe in their relations with state authorities. [1]

Initial Signers of the Charter

Source: [4]

NameCompanyCountry
Alekseeva, AnastasiaChastniy KorrespondentRussia
Alfter, BrigitteAuthorDenmark
Bačević, BatićNinSerbia
Berkan, IsmetRadikalTurkey
Biljanoski, MitkoDnevnikMacedonia
Bitiniece, DaigaKurzemnieksLatvia
Brender, NikolausZDFGermany
Cândea, ŞtefanCentre of Investigative JournalismRomania
Dervishi, LutfiTirana TimesAlbania
Gaede, Peter-MathiasGeoGermany
Gude, HubertFOCUSGermany
Hríb, ŠtefanTýždeňSlovakia
Jõgis-Laats, JanEesti PäevalehtEstonia
Jörges, Hans-UlrichsternGermany
Kaufholz, HenrikPolitikenDenmark
Keese, ChristophAxel Springer AGGermany
Klusmann, SteffenFinancial TimesGermany
Kostyuchenko, ElenaNovaya GazetaRussia
Kotanko, Christoph, Dr.Der KurierAustria
Leyendecker, HansSüddeutsche ZeitungGermany
Liedtke, KlausNational GeographicGermany
Lisicki, PawelRzeczpospolitaPoland
Mika, BaschatazGermany
Mikhailov, SergeiMK-EstoniaEstonia
Montik, Ivan Bigmir.netBelarus
Müller von Blumencron, MathiasDer SpiegelGermany
Naß, MathiasDie ZeitGermany
Nikitinsky, LeonidNovaya GazetaRussia
Nutt, HarryFrankfurter RundschauGermany
Osterkorn, ThomassternGermany
Pecanin, SenadDaniBosnia and Herzegovina
Petzold, AndreassternGermany
Quoos, JörgBILDGermany
Rediske, MichaelReporter ohne GrenzenGermany
Rose, FlemmingJyllands-PostenDenmark
Rousselot, FabriceLibérationFrance
Rozentāle, AnitaBauskas DzīveLatvia
Rozum, YanTelegrafBelarus
Sabalic, InesGlobusCroatia
Smajlović, LjiljanaAssociation of Serbian JournalistsSerbia
Stoldt, Hans-UlrichDer SpiegelGermany
Taino, DaniloCorriere della SeraItaly
Tillack, Hans MartinsternGermany
Turturică, Dan CristianRomania LiberaRomania
von Trott, Thilo, Dr.Gruner + Jahr AG & Co KGGermany
Wergin, ClemensDie WeltGermany
Zõbina, JevgeniaLinnalehtEstonia
Zörner, HendrikGerman Federation of Journalists (DJV)Germany

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 "European Charter on Freedom of the Press". European Centre for Press & Media Freedom. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Commissioner Reding welcomes New European Charter on Freedom of the Press".
  3. 1 2 "New Free-Press Guidelines For Europe". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 27 May 2009. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  4. "European Charter on Freedom of the Press" . Retrieved 29 April 2021.