PRESS RELEASE

– Strasbourg, 17 April 2019 –

Today, MEPs in Strasbourg supported the interinstitutional agreement reached on the Platforms-to-Business (P2B) Regulation. The Regulation now awaits ratification by Member States, which is expected to take place in May. Once ratified, the new rules will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union and come into force one year later.

Wout van Wijk, Executive Director of News Media Europe, commented: “The proposal will introduce important changes to the way online platforms operate, introducing key transparency requirements that will improve the conditions for news organisations to compete under fair conditions.”

Platforms and search engines will have to explain clearly how they rank products and services. This will help citizens to better understand why certain news content is presented to them, as opposed to other, at a time when citizens are increasingly reliant on algorithms to find news.

The Regulation will also shed additional transparency on what data online platforms collect based on the activity of business users, and on how they make use of such data, which will help news organisations develop more sustainable business models to the benefit of informed citizens.

Finally, the Regulation also promotes the creation of codes of conduct and complaint systems, which should ensure that businesses, no matter how small, are in a better position to be heard by platforms when they have legitimate concerns.

About News Media Europe:

News Media Europe (NME) represents the progressive news media industry in Europe –  over 2400 European news brands in print or online, and also on radio and tv. NME is committed to maintaining and promoting the freedom of the press, to upholding and enhancing the freedom to publish, and to championing the news brands which are one of the most vital parts of Europe’s creative industries. 

For further information please contact:

Iacob Gammeltoft, iacob.gammeltoft@newsmediaeurope.eu

Tw: @NewsmediaEU