Reports and papers

Analyses on specific aspects related to press and media freedom, performed and published by research centres, non-governmental organizations and public bodies

Media Freedom made in Scandinavia: six examples of best practices

This report of a fact-finding mission to Scandinavia organised by ECPMF with the participation of EFJ and OBCT shows policies and approaches that can inspire change for the better, suggesting what governments and media actors can do to defend media freedom

read more Media capture SLAPP Freedom of expression Media freedom Media ownership Media pluralism Sweden Denmark

Advice concerning the introduction of anti-SLAPP legislation to protect freedom of expression in the European Union

The paper analyses the current EU legal framework and recommends that the European Union adopt with urgency a series of measures to limit the abuse of defamation laws and the chilling effect on press freedom

read more SLAPP Freedom of expression Media freedom

Hands Off Press Freedom: Attacks on Media in Europe Must Not Become a New Normal

2020 Annual Report by the partner organisations to the Council of Europe Platform to Promote the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists

read more Safety of journalists SLAPP Council of Europe Member States


Internet Freedoms in the Western Balkan Region

Developed in cooperation with the SHARE Foundation, the report presents in-depth research on the state of internet freedoms in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Albania. It provides a comparative overview of specific indicators – according to the European Convention on Human Rights – and develops a set of recommendations for governments of these countries to improve the state of citizens’ freedoms online

read more Digital rights Digital safety Western Balkans


Trust in media 2020

Traditional media remain the most trusted in Europe as citizens turn to Public Service Media for trustworthy news, especially in times of crisis

read more Trust in media Public broadcasting Social media

Targeted, cut off, and left in the dark

The #KeepItOn report on internet shutdowns in 2019

read more Digital safety

Report on the Use of Targeted Sanctions to Protect Journalists

The report examines current challenges faced by journalists around the world and recommends the consistent use of targeted sanctions as a tool to enforce compliance with international human rights law, including the right to a free press

read more Safety of journalists European policies and legislation

Freedom in the World 2020 - A Leaderless Struggle for Democracy

2019 was the 14th consecutive year of decline in global freedom. Some highlights from Freedom House's annual report on political rights and civil liberties

read more Freedom of expression Human rights Censorship Transparency