The European Union is struggling to balance its ideals as a global leader in press freedom with its member states’ criminal defamation and blasphemy laws and counterterrorism measures. Despite an outward commitment to press freedom, in many cases the EU lacks a robust mechanism to hold member states accountable when they renege on their commitments.
Jean-Paul Marthoz, CPJ’s EU correspondent, discusses the main findings of Balancing Act: Press Freedom at Risk as EU Struggles to Match Action with Values, a special report by the Committee to Protect Journalists.