The September issue, no. 2, 2014, gives an overview of some main media questions that have been discussed during the last months or will be on the agenda in the near future:
A landmark ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) – which required Google to consider individuals’ requests to remove links that they say infringe on their privacy – has caused much debate and pitted advocates for freedom of expression against online privacy groups.
By seemingly providing those critical of the proposed new EU data protection rules with new ammunition, the Google ruling will probably further delay the reform. The Commission says it will continue pushing for a speedy adoption of the new rules, ”including the reinforced and modernised Right to be Forgotten”. The ball is now in the EU Council’s court, where views on the reform differ.
Press organisations have long called for the same (reduced) VAT rate to be applied to online services as to paper versions. They are not very happy with the recently issued final report of the EU’s High Level Expert Group on Taxation of the Digital Economy.
Many seem to be concerned about the new trade deal currently being negotiated between the EU and the United States. One of the areas of concern is the audiovisual sector, which was explicitly excluded from the negotiating mandate given to the Commission by member states. In recent months the US has shown interest in a various areas of EU audiovisual policy, which worries a number of member states.
In May the Council of Ministers adopted EU Human Rights Guidelines on Freedom of Expression Online and Offline. At first glance they look rather impressive, but journalist organisations are critical and the rules seem mainly intended for external use.
The same rights that people have offline must also be protected online, in particular freedom of expression, which is applicable regardless of frontiers and through any media of one’s choice, says a resolution adopted in June by the UN Human Rights Council.