EIMP has recently contributed to two consultations on the Media Board, emphasising the importance of ensuring media discoverability online, strengthening an internal media market that fosters the establishment of new media, and protecting media pluralism and freedom.
The Media Board was established under the European Media Freedom Act and it is an independent advisory body consisting of representatives of the national media regulators. The Media Board will provide opinions on national measures that could significantly affect the operation of media providers, on media market concentrations, and on common measures to protect the internal market from non-EU media providers that pose threats related to, amongst others, foreign information manipulation and interference. These new tasks will contribute to reducing barriers to the provision of media services across the EU, and to safeguarding media pluralism and independence in the internal market. To recall, the EMFA will become fully applicable as of 8 August 2025.
EIMP provided input on the Media Board’s draft Statement of Purpose, draft Multiannual Strategy 2025-2027, and 2025 Work Programme.
We are particularly glad to see that under the missions, the Media Board includes protecting the right to information through discoverable media is listed among its first priorities. As EIMP, we bring together national associations of media publishers and companies that are active in the sector of (news) media publishing in the European Union and Europe. EIMP represents innovative, independent, local and regional outlets that rely on online channels to grow and reach audiences. Having an internal market for media that encourages the discoverability of media is therefore crucial to us and our members. In this context, we trust the Media Board will play a proactive and helpful role in fostering the internal media market, as also set out in the missions.
Lastly, we identified Media content on Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) and Structured dialogue and the work on media concentrations as main areas of focus included in the Media Board’s EMFA priorities in the Work Programme 2025. Content by smaller publishers distributed online must not receive less favourable treatment by VLOPs, and mergers in media must not harm media pluralism.
EIMP stands ready to collaborate with and provide support to the Media Board in its crucial work in implementing EMFA and ensuring media freedom and pluralism in Europe.
About EIMP
The European Independent Media Publishers association – EIMP, is a pan-European association consisting of national associations of media publishers and individual publishers that are active in the sector of media publishing in Europe. EIMP represents innovative, independent, local and regional outlets that rely on online channels to grow and reach audiences, and promotes media pluralism and an ecosystem that fosters growth for small, independent and innovative (digital-native) media publishers. EIMP was established in 2015 when the European Commission launched its copyright reform, in order to take part in the debate and ensure the new rules support our members. EIMP represents over 1000 media outlets across Europe. Contact: secretariat@eimp.eu