COMECON MEDIA

Source: EU Commission:  Link Other available languages:  FR DE DA ES NL IT SV PT FI EL CS ET   HU LT LV MT PL SK SL BG RO HR Brussels, 26 April 2018 Today, the Commission is proposing measures to tackle disinformation online, including an EU-wide Code of Practice on Disinformation, support for an independent network of fact-checkers, and a series of actions to stimulate quality journalism and promote media literacy. The recent Facebook/Cambridge Analytica revelations demonstrated exactly how personal data can be exploited in electoral contexts, and are a timely reminder that more is needed to secure resilient democratic processes. Today the European Commission is taking steps forward in the fight against disinformation to ensure the protection of European values and security. Vice-President for the Digital Single Market Andrus Ansip said: "Disinformation is not new as an instrument of political influence. New technologies, especially digital, have expan

Source: EU Commission:  Link Other available languages:  FR DE DA ES NL IT SV PT FI EL CS ET   HU LT LV MT PL SK SL BG RO HR Brussels, 26 April 2018 Today, the European Commission is proposing new rules for the online platforms providing small businesses with a safety net in the digital economy. The new rules will improve the functioning of the Digital Single Market and follow President Juncker's State of the Union announcements of 13 September 2017 to "safeguard a fair, predictable, sustainable and trusted business environment in the online economy". The aim of the new rules is to create a fair, transparent and predictable business environment for smaller businesses and traders when using online platforms. Businesses such as hotels, traders selling online, app developers, and other similar companies that rely on search engines for attracting internet traffic to their websites are amongst those who will benefit from the new rules. Vice-President f

Source: EU Commission Brussels, 26 April 2018 The European Parliament, Council and Commission have reached a preliminary political agreement on the main elements of revised rules to apply to audiovisual media across Europe. The negotiations will officially conclude in June when the European Parliament, Council and Commission will meet to finalise and discuss the last remaining technical details of the proposal. After formal confirmation by the Council and the European Parliament's plenary vote, the new rules will have to be transposed into national law. This agreement paves the way for a fairer regulatory environment for the entire audiovisual sector, including on-demand services and video sharing platforms. The new rules strengthen the protection of minors and reinforce the battle against hate speech in all audiovisual content. They promote European audiovisual productions and guarantee the independence of audiovisual regulators. Vice-President for the Digital Single Market A

The EU Parliament REPORT on media pluralism and media freedom in the European Union has been published online. Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Barbara Spinelli VISIT WEBSITE Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Rapporteur: Barbara Spinelli Rapporteur for the opinion (*): Curzio Maltese, Committee on Culture and Education (*) Associated committees – Rule 54 of the Rules of Procedure MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION EXPLANATORY STATEMENT MINORITY OPINION OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON CULTURE AND EDUCATION OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AFFAIRS INFORMATION ON ADOPTION IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE EXPLANATORY STATEMENT Through the adoption of Lisbon Treaty, the European Union has identified itself as a community of values in which human rights represent its cornerstone. Freedom of expression and information is internationally recognized as one of the core elements of the hum

Briefing - Regulating online TV and radio broadcasting - 16-04-2018 The provision of television and radio broadcasting services over the internet is a fast-developing phenomenon in the European Union. The European Commission adopted a proposal for a regulation to promote the cross-border provision of online services ancillary to broadcasts and facilitate digital retransmissions of TV and radio programmes originating in other Member States in September 2016. The European Parliament and the Council have each voted, separately, to amend the proposal to a large extent. The co-legislators are discussing, inter alia, what type of online services should fall under the scope of the regulation and whether the mechanisms facilitating satellite and cable operators’ broadcasting cross-border in the EU should be extended to new service providers such as internet protocol television (IPTV) and over-the-top (OTT) providers. First edition. The ‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at

Summary : The aim of the draft law is to combat the spread of fake news, particularly at election time, via audiovisual media and the internet. The proposed provisions contain the requirement for internet service providers and hosts to cooperate in combating the spread of fake news. These intermediaries would thus be required to implement an easily accessible and visible reporting mechanism, immediately inform the competent public authorities of reports sent to them, and make public the means they will be employing to combat the spread of illegal fake news. Such a duty to cooperate is stated in Article 6-I of Law No 2004-575 of 21 June 2004 on confidence in the digital economy, with regard to various forms of illegal content (condoning crimes against humanity, advocating terrorism, inciting racial hatred, etc.). In order to make internet users aware of the origin of information to which they are exposed and to make it easier to understand and verify the veraci

Link  - Source: EU Commission Brussels, 10 April 2018 The European Commission can confirm that on 10 April 2018 its officials carried out unannounced inspections in several Member States at the premises of companies active in the distribution of media rights and related rights pertaining to various sports events and/or their broadcasting. The Commission has concerns that the companies involved may have violated EU antitrust rules that prohibit cartels and restrictive business practices ( Article 101  of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union). The Commission officials were accompanied by their counterparts from the relevant national competition authorities. Unannounced inspections are a preliminary step into suspected anticompetitive practices. The fact that the Commission carries out such inspections does not mean that the companies are guilty of anti-competitive behaviour nor does it prejudge the outcome of the investigation itself. The Commission respects the r