RSF welcomes European Council’s decision to prioritise press freedom and the fight against disinformation

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The European Council has included press freedom and the fight against disinformation in their priorities for the next five years. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) will continue campaigning to ensure their decision is translated into concrete progress.

In the first European Council meeting since the European elections, heads of state and government convened in Brussels on 27 and 28 June to set the EU’s new strategic agenda for the next five years.

The resulting document, which sets the course for future European policies, includes a pledge to strengthen the EU’s democracies by "protecting free and pluralistic media, tackling foreign interference and countering attempts at destabilisation, including through disinformation.”

“We will strengthen democratic discourse and ensure that tech giants take their responsibility for safeguarding democratic dialogue online,” it adds. 

"It’s very good news that media freedom and the fight against disinformation are priorities for EU heads of state and government,  especially considering that freedom of the press and the role of social media platforms were not mentioned in the previous strategic agenda. RSF has fought – and will continue to fight – to ensure that these priorities are translated into tangible progress.

Antoine Bernard
Director of Advocacy and Assistance, RSF

In February 2024, RSF published a 12-point manifesto calling for a new European ambition to  better defend press freedom and guarantee the right to reliable news and information. In June, RSF published seven recommendations to protect the EU’s information space in an age dominated by artificial intelligence.

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