Saturday

10th Jun 2023

Hungarian media law not good enough, MEPs say

The European Parliament on Thursday (10 March) said the recent tweaks to the Hungarian media law do not go far enough and criticised the European Commission for not pressing for more changes, especially regarding the media council, whose members are appointed by the ruling party.

The call for further changes - tabled by the Socialist, Liberal, Green and leftist groups - was voted by 316 votes in favour and 264 against, with 33 abstentions.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

MEPs say the modifications to the media law adopted by the Hungarian Parliament on Monday are a positive development, but they still fail to restore the independence of media governance and to stop state interference with freedom of expression.

"Over-regulation of media is counterproductive to the existence of an effective pluralism in the public sphere", MEPs said.

The EU legislature also criticised the commission for its "limited targeting of only three points" in discussions with Hungarian authorities and urged it to further investigate compliance with EU law.

"When the commission doesn't defend basic rights, we will take up the fight," Austrian Socialist MEP Hannes Swoboda said on behalf of his group.

MEPs also point out that "media pluralism and freedom continues to be a grave concern in the EU and its member states, notably in Italy, Bulgaria, Romania, Czech Republic and Estonia", asking the EU commission to come up with a directive on media freedom, pluralism and independent governance before the end of this year.

The parliament's calls echo similar findings by journalism associations and by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, which also monitors democracy standards and pluralism.

"The legislation can still be misused to curb alternative and differing voices in Hungary despite modifications adopted following a request from the European Commission," Dunja Mijatovic from OSCE said in a press statement.

On Wednesday, the Vienna-based International Press Institute said that "elements of the legislation that remain in place continue to loom large over press freedom."

Reporters without Borders also welcomed the changes while expressing concerns that the composition and powers of the new media council remain unchanged.

"European governments should make it clear to their Hungarian partner that this vote does not in any way absolve it of its responsibility to make every effort to ensure the legislation conforms to international law," the organisation said on its website.

Even if blogs and online media no longer require authorisation and compliance with "balanced reporting", the latter still applies to audiovisual media. Journalists are also still required to respect "public morality" and "human dignity" - notions that have yet to be defined by the media council - or face heavy fines.

In Budapest, some quarter viewed the European Parliament's position as a "witch hunt" against Hungary. Government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs told MTI news agency that the MEPs did not take into account recent "constructive and very quickly concluded meetings" between Hungarian and EU officials.

Ever since it adopted the new law, on 1 January, which coincided with Budapest taking over the chairmanship of EU ministers' meetings, Hungary has been at the centre of international criticism. Local journalists also filed a constitutional complaint against the law.

EUobserver Investigative Reports

EUobserver is publishing a series of investigative reports to shed light on some of the lesser known or more complex areas of European Union activities, starting November 2011.

Interview

Part of EU middle class 'being squeezed out', MEP warns

EUobserver interviewed Spanish MEP Jordi Cañas to discuss the situation of Europe's middle class, the dangerous political reaction if certain groups feel neglected, and the role that member states and the EU can play at the policy level.

Letter

Right of Reply from the Hungarian government

Authors Samira Rafaela MEP and Tom Theuns present as facts the extreme views of a politically-motivated campaign in the European Parliament. By doing so, they undermine the very foundations of the European Union.

Latest News

  1. Negotiations on asylum reform to start next week, says MEP
  2. EU gig workers compromise dubbed ‘a disaster for workers’
  3. EU's one-off chance to influence Laos taking over ASEAN chair
  4. Belgian bâtonnier on Russia: 'You can have a client you don't like'
  5. EU's proposed ethics body 'toothless', say campaigners
  6. Study: 90% of Spanish inflation 'driven by corporate profits'
  7. If Spanish economy is doing well, why is Sanchez poised to lose?
  8. EU lawyers for Russia: making 'good' money?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of Ministers20 June: Launch of the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations
  2. International Sustainable Finance CentreJoin CEE Sustainable Finance Summit, 15 – 19 May 2023, high-level event for finance & business
  3. ICLEISeven actionable measures to make food procurement in Europe more sustainable
  4. World BankWorld Bank Report Highlights Role of Human Development for a Successful Green Transition in Europe
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic summit to step up the fight against food loss and waste
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersThink-tank: Strengthen co-operation around tech giants’ influence in the Nordics

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. EFBWWEFBWW calls for the EC to stop exploitation in subcontracting chains
  2. InformaConnecting Expert Industry-Leaders, Top Suppliers, and Inquiring Buyers all in one space - visit Battery Show Europe.
  3. EFBWWEFBWW and FIEC do not agree to any exemptions to mandatory prior notifications in construction
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic and Baltic ways to prevent gender-based violence
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Economic gender equality now! Nordic ways to close the pension gap
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Pushing back the push-back - Nordic solutions to online gender-based violence

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us