Bucharest – The National Audiovisual Council of Romania will incorporate the EMFA regulations into its operations and will collaborate with relevant institutions to ensure adherence. The goal is to create a media landscape that is more transparent, independent, and resilient against political, economic, or informational pressures, stated Valentin Jucan, Vice President of the Council, in an interview with AGERPRES on Friday.
The EMFA is not merely a legislative formality; it is a vital instrument for bolstering pluralism, editorial independence, and transparency within the European media sector. The official asserted that its implementation in Romania will go beyond mere declarations.
“EMFA represents both an opportunity and a responsibility. Its effective enactment in Romania will enhance democracy by promoting freedom of expression and ensuring that citizens are accurately and diversely informed,” highlighted Jucan.
He outlined the challenges faced by Romania’s media landscape, including the concentration of media ownership among a few entities often driven by political or economic motivations; a lack of transparency in funding sources and editorial oversight; opaque state advertising distribution; editorial pressures on journalists; and discrepancies between traditional media and digital platforms regarding advertising revenue.
The European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) establishes that information is a public good and safeguards the freedom, independence, and pluralism of the press within the internal market.
In February 2024, the European Parliament and the Council approved new regulations to safeguard media freedom and journalist independence in the EU. The regulation began phased implementation in May 2024, with key provisions set to take effect on August 8, 2025.
This legislation enhances transparency regarding media ownership and state advertising distribution, strengthens public media independence, and provides strong protections for journalists and their sources. (8.8.2025)
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