News Media Europe welcomes the adoption of the European Parliament Special Committee’s report on the European Democracy Shield and its recognition of the essential role of independent news media in strengthening democratic resilience across Europe.

The report rightly acknowledges that access to reliable news, media pluralism and sustainable journalism are indispensable to countering foreign interference, disinformation and other threats to democracy. We particularly welcome the call for stronger enforcement of existing digital rules, greater prominence for trusted news sources, support for sustainable advertising models for news media and the call for evidence-based media impact assessments. We also welcome Committee’s recognition that AI-generated impersonation of news media must be addressed, that AI models must comply with EU copyright law, and that greater transparency regarding AI training data is essential to protect rights holders and provide legal certainty.

At the same time, efforts to protect information integrity must remain firmly anchored in the principles of media freedom, editorial independence and media pluralism. While the European Centre for Democratic Resilience can play a valuable role in facilitating cooperation, preparedness and the exchange of expertise among Member States, it should not evolve into a mechanism that assesses, verifies or arbitrates the accuracy of journalistic content produced by professional and independent news media.

As the European Democracy Shield moves to implementation, it is crucial that policymakers continue to work closely with the news media sector to ensure that future measures effectively strengthen democratic resilience while safeguarding the sustainability and independence of European news media. The implementation of the Shield should place a strong and pluralistic news ecosystem at its core, recognising that access to trusted and independent journalism is one of the most effective safeguards against disinformation and foreign information manipulation.

Contact: Wout van Wijk, Executive Director.