Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
Every day, journalists and media workers courageously exercise their freedom of expression, often at great personal risk. Independent, fact-based journalism helps protect our democracies by exposing injustice, holding leaders accountable, and allowing citizens to make informed decisions.
  In 2024, with elections being held in more than 60 countries around the world, the work of journalists is more important than ever. On this World Press Freedom Day, we honor their work and courage.
As our eyes and ears on the ground, journalists must be protected at all times and in every place. The European Union strongly condemns all acts of violence, including threats, against journalists for exercising their profession, whether committed by states, organized groups or individuals. There must be no impunity for such crimes, regardless of where they are committed.
Journalists and media workers covering armed conflicts must be protected in accordance with international humanitarian law.
  The European Union deplores the dramatic increase in the number of journalists killed or injured while covering the devastating consequences of the war. Too many journalists have lost their lives in recent months while reporting from Gaza. Journalists also remain at risk daily as they cover Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, as well as conflicts in Myanmar, Sudan and elsewhere.
The European Union expresses its deep concern about the practice of blocking independent media access to conflict areas, as a means of controlling the information space and restricting public access to factual and objective reporting.
Independent media around the world face a number of existential threats. More than ever, we must take decisive action to ensure the media's ability to operate under viable political, economic and legal conditions.
  At home, the European Union took an important step to this end by adopting the European Media Freedom Act. This landmark legislation seeks to enhance editorial freedom, protect journalistic sources, and improve the transparency of media ownership in the European Union.
The European Union remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting media freedom and pluralism around the world. By defending media freedom, we protect not only our right to know, but our very ability to shape a future guided by truth and accountability.