On May 25th, 2009 48 editors-in-chief and leading journalists from 19 countries adopted and signed the "European Charter on Freedom of the Press" in Hamburg.
In ten articles, the charter formulates principles for the freedom of the press from government interference - in particular for their right to safety from surveillance, electronic eavesdropping and searches of editorial departments and computers, and to unimpeded access for journalists and citizens to all domestic and foreign sources of information
The goal is to assert the charter’s validity across Europe and to make its adoption a condition in EU accession negotiations. The charta was handed over to the European Commission in Brussels on June 9th 2009 and to the Council of Europe in Luxembourg on October 26th 2009.
Carta Europeana a Libertatii Presei
Art. 1
Libertatea presei este vitala pentru o societate democratica. Autoritatile statului trebuie sa o sustina si sa o protejeze, sa respecte diversitatea media jurnalistica in toate formele sale de diseminare cat si in misiunile sale politice, sociale si culturale.
Art. 2
Cenzura este strict interzisa. Trebuie sa existe garantii ca jurnalismul independent, in orice media, este liber de persecutii, represalii, interferente politice sau de reglementare ale statului. Statul nu va supune unui proces de autorizare presa si media online.
Art. 3
Dreptul jurnalistilor si media de a aduna si disemina informatii si opinii nu trebuie sa fie amenintat, restrictionat sau sanctionat.
Art. 4
Protectia surselor jurnalistice trebuie strict respectata. Orice tip de perchezitii ale redactiilor sau altor locatii ale jurnalistilor cat si supravegherea jurnalistilor sau interceptarea comunicatiilor acestora, cu scopul de a identifica sursele de informare sau de a viola secretul redactional sunt strict interzise.
Art. 5
Toate statele trebuie sa se asigure ca media, in indeplinirea misiunilor sale, se bucura de o deplina protectie a legilor, a unui sistem judiciar independent si de protectia autoritatilor. Aceasta se aplica mai ales pentru a proteja jurnalistii si colaboratorii lor , in cazul unor actiuni de hartuire sau atacuri la integritatea lor fizica. Incalcarea acestor drepturi sau orice amenintari cu incalcarea lor, trebuie sa fie atent investigate si pedepsite de justitie.
Art. 6
Existenta si independenta economica a media nu trebuie puse in pericol de catre institutiile statului, institutii aflate sub influenta statului sau de catre alte organizatii. Amenintarea cu sanctiuni economice este deasemenea strict interzisa. Companiile private trebuie sa respecte independenta editoriala a media. Ele trebuie sa se abtina atat de la a exercita presiuni asupra continutului editorial cat si de la a incerca sa amestece publicitatea cu continutul editorial.
Art. 7
Institutile statului sau cele aflate sub influenta statului nu trebuie sa ingradeasca libertatea de acces la informatii a media si a jurnalistilor. Ele au obligatia de a sprijini misiunea media si a jurnalistilor de a informa.
Art. 8
Media si jurnalistii au dreptul la acces neingradit la toate stirile si sursele de informare, inclusiv la cele din afara tarii. Pentru a-si indeplini misiunea de a informa din strainatate, jurnalistii trebuie sa primeasca fara intarziere vize, acreditari sau orice alte documente necesare.
Art. 9
Publicului trebuie sa-i fie garantat accesul liber la orice media sau sursa de informatii, nationala sau internationala.
Art. 10
Statul nu poate restrictiona accesul la profesia de jurnalist.
Excerpt from the speech of the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, on the occasion of the celebrations to mark the 175th anniversary of Bertelsmann on 16 September 2010
Bertelsmann 175th Anniversary - A Story of Freedom, Pluralism and Entrepreneurship Across European Borders
“… It is also important [of course,] to preserve the independence and diversity of the media. This is vital to vigorous democracy in Europe. It is a political issue, in that it touches on two non-negotiable freedoms which lie at the very heart of our democratic societies: freedom of expression and the freedom of the press.
Just 20 years ago these freedoms did not exist in half of our continent, notably in Central and Eastern Europe. In the South of Europe of the early seventies, my generation dreamt of Europe because we dreamt of freedom. Still today, journalists in some parts of Europe are killed because such freedoms do not exist.
In the EU these freedoms have been won at a high price. Although they are engraved in our political and legal heritage they will have to be defended permanently. We have the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights. I also strongly welcome the European Charter on Freedom of the Press, an initiative launched by Gruner & Jahr, signed in 2009 by 48 Editors-in-Chief and leading journalists from 19 European countries…..”
Ideally, journalists all over Europe will be able to cite the charter in cases of conflict with the state or with state-controlled institutions, and to call on their international colleagues for help and support.