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EMFA-talk at EUI on the protection of journalists’ sources

We participated in a seminar at the European University Institute on “Safeguarding journalistic sources under article 4 of the European Media Freedom Act” (link). The seminar was organised by the Center for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF) (link).

Our presentation dealt with the question whether Article 4 EMFA (Regulation 2024/1083 of 11 April 2024) offers relevant and effective guarantees to ensure source protection and protection of confidential  communications for media and journalists, in particular against searches and seizures, secret surveillance and deployment of spyware. We argued that the EU-initiative is a wake up call for strengthening the protection of journalists’ sources and their confidential communications. Article 4 EMFA urges the EU Members States to bring their legislation and practices in accordance with the standards of robust protection under Article 10 ECHR and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights on this issue (link).

More information on the Observatory of the European Media Freedom Act at the CMPF/EUI (link)

See also “Case Law, Strasbourg: Big Brother Watch v United Kingdom, Bulk interception regime violated Articles 8 and 10″, Inforrms Blog – The International Forum for Responsible Media Blog 9 June 2021 (link) .
And most recently : European Court of Human Rights: Klaudia Csikós v. Hungary, IRIS (online) 2025-1:1/26, https://merlin.obs.coe.int/article/10202

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