Abstract:
У статті йдеться про значення свободи та плюралізму медіа в механізмі верховенства права
Європейського Союзу. Висвітлено діяльність інституцій ЄС у взаємодії з неофіційними
суб’єктами щодо моніторингу засобами правотворчості та правозастосування стану свободи й
плюралізму медіа в цьому механізмі. Окрім моніторингу, Європейською комісією вжито
законодавчих заходів щодо захисту медійних організацій та журналістів від необґрунтованих
втручань та обмежень діяльності з боку владних суб’єктів. Натомість організаційні заходи та
санкційний механізм щодо порушень свободи медіа потребують активізації. Наголошено на
вимогах ЄС до України як держави-кандидата в частині гарантій свободи медіа за результатами
моніторингу і звітів 2022 та 2023 р. The article deals with the importance of media freedom and pluralism
among justice, anti-corruption and institutional issues of the system of checks and balances as the four
pillars of the rule of law of the European Union.
The main institution of the EU in ensuring the functioning of the mechanism of the rule of law
is the European Commission, whose activities are directed through the appropriate European
Commissioner – the Vice President for Values and Transparency. The author has highlighted the activity
of the EU institutions in interaction with unofficial entities, which include non-governmental media and
human rights associations, regarding the monitoring of the state of media freedom and pluralism in this
mechanism by means of law-making and law enforcement.
Based on the results of the monitoring of member states and candidate countries by the European
Commission, an annual report on the rule of law is prepared according to the developed methodology. The
methodology regarding the state of media freedom and pluralism includes such evaluation criteria as the
independence of the functioning of media regulators, transparency of media ownership, protection of the
media from political pressure and influence (in particular through the use of state advertising), access to
information, safety and protection of journalists, as well as the elimination of legal threats and abuse of
public participation trials. The main indicator of the monitoring results is the degree of risk to freedom and
pluralism of media, which, despite different indicators for member states and candidate countries – from
very low to very high, remains equally dangerous for all states without exception, and increases every year
on the basis of which recommendations for each country are formulated.
In addition to monitoring, the European Commission has taken legislative measures to protect media
organizations and journalists from unjustified interventions and restrictions on the activities of government
entities, based on the example of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), which is due to enter into force
soon. Instead, organizational measures and the sanctioning mechanism for violations of media freedom need to
be intensified. The author has emphasized requirements of the EU to Ukraine as a candidate state in terms of
guarantees of media freedom based on the results of monitoring and reports of 2022 and 2023.
