Media pluralism has generally been recognized as a core component of well-functioning democracies, free and open societies. Media pluralism is fundamentally linked to the freedom of expression, citizens’ free access to information to contribute and participate in decision-making processes which concern them and to make informed political choices. Media have to be free and independent, but also pluralistic, as well as inclusive offering a wide range of different views and opinions and reflecting the diversity of a society. Moreover, media pluralism reflects the right of citizens to be well-informed. These fundamental principles are reflected in Article 11 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union that states that freedom and pluralism of the media should be respected as essential elements of the common vision of a democratic Europe.

Even though media freedom and pluralism have been generally accepted as fundamental to the common values prevailing within the EU, the legal instruments of EU law remain limited.  The EU, in fact, “has very little “hard” law on media pluralism" still, one of the potential instruments to safeguard media pluralism as a fundamental value is competition law that can control the accumulation of market power that could be exercised by media undertakings.  Even though competition law is primarily an instrument to address the economic aspects related to media markets, its control mechanisms can make sure that citizens’ right to free and plural media is not undermined.

The urgency of these issues and the question how the enforcement of the existing EU competition rules can safeguard media pluralism  in the Member States has never been more pressing than today when various developments in Poland and Hungary could clearly undermine the pluralism of media in these countries and undoubtedly violate the fundamental right of these countries’ citizens to freedom of expression.

This workshop brings together academics, policy makers and civil society in order to discuss these pressing issues at the intersection of media and EU competition law and complex questions about the delineation of EU and Member States’ competences.

Time and platform:

15th April, Thursday, 2021, 10.00-12.00

via Zoom

Organizers:

M. Kozak (UU, RENFORCE)), K. Cseres (UvA, ACELG), Amsterdam Center for European Law & Governance (ACELG), Amsterdam Center for European Studies (ACES), Utrecht Centre for Regulation and Enforcement in Europe (RENFORCE), Centre for Antitrust and Regulatory Studies, Faculty of Management, University of Warsaw (CARS)

Program:

10.00-10.10.     Opening by the organizers

10.10-10.30      Introduction

Konstantina Bania (Senior Legal Counsel, European Broadcasting Union , Extramural Fellow, TILEC, Greek Scientific Council, Data and AI Policy)

10.30-10.45      Krysztof Kuik  (Head of Unit, DG Competition, European Commission):

10.45-11.00      Gábor Polyák (Associate professor at the Eötvös Loránd University, Director of Mérték Media Monitor)

11.00-11.15      Prof. Katarzyna Klafkowska – Waśniowska / dr Miłosz Malaga (Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań).

11.15-12.00      Discussion