News Media Europe marks World Press Freedom Day 2026, held this year under the theme of “Shaping a Future at Peace”, by calling for European and national decision-makers to strengthen the conditions that allow news publishers to serve the public interest.

As President Von Der Leyen reaffirmed in the Commission’s Political Guidelines for 2024 – 2029, the protection of media freedom is a cornerstone of European democracy. And as also noted by the Commission ahead of the World Press Freedom Day, a free press is the backbone of democracy and essential to transparency, accountability, and an informed society.

News Media Europe is committed to maintaining and promoting this notion, upholding the freedom to publish, and championing news brands as one of the most vital parts of Europe’s creative and cultural industries.

A free press depends on safe journalists, independent publishers and a sustainable media ecosystem. Across Europe, the press sector faces growing challenges: threats against journalists, political intimidation, government interference, platform dependency and market disruption caused by the rise of artificial intelligence.

Nearly two years after the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) has entered into force, the priority must now be effective implementation, backed by other broader policy initiatives that support the sustainability of press freedom.

Today, News Media Europe highlights three priorities central to press freedom: the safety of journalists, sustainability of press publishers, and access to trusted information in the age of AI.

• Protecting Journalists and Safe Newsrooms

Journalists must be able to work safely, independently and without fear. Threats, surveillance mechanisms, political intimidation, and abusive lawsuits are impacting journalists across the globe at alarming pace. This is particularly relevant in the context of current geopolitical climate, in which lives of civilians depend on the free flow of reliable information. It is therefore of paramount importance that journalists are able to do their job safely.

News Media Europe calls on European governments to ensure that attacks against journalists are investigated effectively, that source protection is fully respected, and that intrusive spyware tools are not used against the press. The EMFA safeguards must be applied effectively and consistently across all EU Member States.

Press freedom cannot exist in an environment where journalists feel unsafe.

News Media Europe welcomes the Commission’s intention to update the Recommendation on the Safety of Journalists as part of its wider work on media freedom. This initiative must lead to practical protection at national level. This is also relevant in the case of the Commission’s further work on supporting the EU framework to combat strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs).

• Safeguarding Publishers

Independent news publishers are an essential part of the democratic infrastructure. At a time of disinformation, polarisation and growing pressure on democratic institutions, independent publishers play a central role in holding power to account. Their work helps to ensure that governments, institutions, and powerful actors remain subject to public scrutiny. Press freedom empowers individuals to make informed decisions, cultivates transparency within institutions and fosters necessary public dialogue.

However, the news media ecosystem is under growing threat and pressure. Publishers face rising costs, platform dependency, decreasing advertising opportunities, and unfair digital markets. These pressures directly affect the ability of publishers to invest in digital infrastructures, AI literacy training, local innovation and long-term sustainability strategies.

In this context, News Media Europe welcomes the Commission’s ambition to strengthen support for the cultural and media sectors through the upcoming AgoraEU programme. However, it is crucial that these priorities are sufficiently reflected in the programme and that support for media and press sectors is clearly secured. The AgoraEU Programme therefore must guarantee:

• The establishment of ring-fenced envelopes for the media and press sectors, as well as for audiovisual.
• A budget that is defined ex ante.
• For the allocation to be based on fair, objective and transparent criteria.

• Ensuring Citizens’ Access to Trustworthy Information

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the information ecosystem. While AI can support innovation, it can also create serious risks when deployed without transparency, editorial responsibility, and the respect for intellectual property.

Generative AI can amplify disinformation, hallucinate convincing false content, imitate trusted news brands and use algorithmic practices to push readers towards unreliable and misleading narratives. Malicious misinformation, algorithmic curation and deepfake technologies raise serious concerns about the quality of the information on the internet.

Professional and editorially responsible publications are central to the fight against disinformation. Publishers invest in verification and fact-checking mechanisms to ensure reliable and accountable journalism. Their work provides European citizens with trusted information in an environment increasingly polluted with synthetic content.

In parallel, AI is increasingly posing risks for the sustainability of the press sector. While AI holds immense potential to enhance journalistic practices, the current landscape sees rightsholders’ content used without consent or remuneration for training of AI models. With the rise of AI-powered search engines, browsers and digital assistants, these systems increasingly act as substitutes for original news sources.

Without adequate safeguards, AI could exacerbate misinformation, undermine trust in journalism and erode press freedom. A healthy relationship between responsible AI and a sustainable press sector requires respect for publishers’ rights.

News Media Europe welcomes the recently adopted JURI own-initiative report on Copyright and Generative-AI as an important recognition of the challenges faced by press publishers in the age of AI. However, this recognition must now be translated into concrete policy action. In the context of the Copyright Directive review and wider digital policy initiatives, EU decision makers must ensure that copyright rules are enforceable in practice.  It is crucial at this stage to establish:

• Meaningful Transparency,
• Functioning Licensing Markets,
• Effective enforcement.

These measures are necessary for publishers to know how their content has been used, negotiate fair agreements, to ensure the sustainability of the sector. Without this, AI could spread misinformation at alarming pace, undermine trust in journalism and erode European values. Innovation must develop in a way that supports rather than replaces trusted news ecosystems, on which it depends.

On World Press Freedom Day 2026, News Media Europe urges EU institutions and Member States to turn commitments to media freedom into effective protection for the press. A future at peace requires a free, independent and sustainable press sector. It requires journalists who can work safely, publishers who can operate their businesses in a predictable and sustainable manner, and citizens who can access reliable and trustworthy information.

Contact: Daria Istayeva