European Commission invests 16 million euro in supporting journalism

The European Commission has published three calls for proposals under the Creative Europe programme, aimed at supporting media freedom and pluralism, strengthening the sector's resilience and improving media literacy in Europe. The first initiative, with a total budget of euro10.5 million, focuses on funding actions dedicated to media pluralism and collaboration. It aims to promote journalistic partnerships and support news media in sectors essential for democracy. It also aims to develop innovative cross-border journalistic projects and business models adapted to current media challenges.

A second call for proposals, with a budget of euro3 million, focuses on setting up a rapid response system that will monitor violations of press freedom and media pluralism at EU level, as well as in the countries participating in the Creative Europe programme and candidate countries. This monitoring mechanism will collect data and information on risks to freedom of expression and media diversity, thus providing a better understanding of the context in which media outlets operate.

The last initiative, with a budget of euro2.5 million, aims to support cross-border projects that contribute to strengthening media literacy and combating disinformation. These projects will encourage the exchange of good practices and knowledge between European countries, promoting collaboration across national and cultural borders to develop media skills. These actions by the Commission come at a crucial time for the media sector, which is facing major economic and political challenges, and underlines the importance of a diverse and free media landscape for the healthy functioning of European democracies.