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News Releases
No. 47/07
May 3, 2007
EU COMMISSION JOINS THE CELEBRATIONS OF WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY
Today has been designated "World Press Freedom Day."
Freedom of information – and access to information – are
basic
human rights, which should be available to everyone
worldwide. Access to information is not only a concern
outside Europe and for the EU's relations with third
countries. Successive
Eurobarometer [public opinion] surveys tell us that
70% of the EU population do not feel they know about
European institutions and policies. Yet they do want to
know who the EU is, what it is doing and why. And to
have their say.
E uropean Commission Vice President
Margot Wallström
said: "Freedom of the press and giving citizens full and
fair information are about guaranteeing citizens a basic
democratic right. The EU must fight to uphold this right
around the globe with all the means at its disposal. But
we must not be complacent. If we cannot adequately
guarantee this democratic right to our own citizens in
Europe, how can we consider ourselves a democratic
beacon for the rest of the world?"
 EU
External Relations Commissioner
Benita
Ferrero-Waldner said: "Politicians in Europe often tend to take the presence
of critical media for granted, so on World Press Freedom
Day, it’s worth pausing for a moment to appreciate the
vital role played by free press around the world in
strengthening democracies and fostering development.
Freedom of the media and freedom of expression is a
basic and universal human right. This is why freedom of
the media is an essential and important part of all our
partnerships and discussions with countries all over the
world. A free and open media is also fundamental to
achieving understanding and tolerance between our
peoples and in improving their perception of each
other."
Many journalists brave death or jail to bring people
their daily news - 110 journalists were killed last
year, over twice as many as in 2005, and 134 were jailed.
As one of the main themes of this year's World Press
Freedom Day is the safety of journalists, the European Commission
would also like to take this opportunity to appeal again
strongly for the release of
Alan Johnston, the BBC’s
Gaza correspondent, who has now been held for nearly two
months. His captors are doing the Palestinian people no
service by preventing him and others from doing their
jobs - bringing the story of life in
Gaza to the outside
world.
In its recent
white paper on a European communication policy,
endorsed by the European Parliament and the EU Council, the
Commission states that:
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people need to know, in understandable language, what
the EU is doing for them;
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the citizen must be at the center of communication
policy;
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communicating about Europe is not only the job of
"Brussels" but of national, regional and local
governments, civil society - and a free press.
2006 Natali Prize (for journalists' commitment to human rights &
democracy) awarded to Hong Kong-based reporter.
Further Contact Information
Press and Public Diplomacy
Delegation of the European Commission
2300 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
http://www.eurunion.org/PressRoom
Tel: 202-862-9552
Fax: 202-429-1766
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