On 16 and 17 September, the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners will conduct an international mission to assess the ongoing reforms of the media sector in Poland and their influence on the media freedom situation in the country.

The current mission builds on the 2023 visit by the MFRR ahead of Poland’s parliamentary elections, which were held on 15 October 2023. As a result of this visit, MFRR produced a sobering report highlighting economic struggles amid a polarised media landscape, loss of editorial independence by public service media, and frequent use of vexatious lawsuits by public figures against critical journalists. 

The 2024 mission will be led by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) and co-led by the International Press Institute (IPI). The mission will also see the participation of other MFRR representatives: the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Free Press Unlimited (FPU), and ARTICLE 19 Europe. 

The 2024 mission will focus on reforms of the public service broadcasters, draft media legislation, editorial independence, economic sustainability and media pluralism . It will also examine the government’s preparations to implement the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) and the Anti-SLAPP Directive.

The MFRR’s interlocutors will consist of a broad group of media experts and journalists, relevant authorities, and legislators. 

The findings and conclusions of the mission will be included in a report, assessing the pace of media reform in Poland and the implementation of EMFA, as well as measures taken to counter SLAPPs. The report will include a set of recommendations for decision-makers on upholding media freedom in line with European and international freedom of expression standards.