eu-charter

Хартата на основните права на Европейския съюз

Член 11 - Свобода на изразяване на мнение и свобода на информация

Член 11 - Свобода на изразяване на мнение и свобода на информация

  1. Всеки има право на свобода на изразяването на мнения. Това право включва свободата да отстоява своето мнение, да получава и да разпространява информация и идеи без намеса на публичните власти и независимо от границите.
  2. Свободата и плурализмът на медиите се зачитат.
    • Text:
      1. Член 11 съответства на член 10 от ЕКПЧ, който гласи:

        „1. Всеки има право на свобода на изразяването на мнения. Това право включва свободата да отстоява своето мнение, да получава и да разпространява информация и идеи без намеса на държавните власти и независимо от границите. Този член не забранява на държавите да въвеждат разрешителен режим за дейността на радио- и телевизионните компании и производителите на кинематографична продукция.

        2. Ползването на тези свободи, доколкото е съпроводено със задължения и отговорности, може да бъде обусловено от процедури, условия, ограничения или санкции, които са предвидени от закона и са необходими в едно демократично общество в интерес на националната и обществената сигурност, териториалната цялост, за предотвратяване на безредици или на престъпления, за защитата на здравето и морала, както и на репутацията или на правата на другите, за предотвратяване на изтичането на секретна информация или за поддържане на авторитета и безпристрастността на правосъдието“.

        В изпълнение на член 52, параграф 3 от Хартата, това право има същото съдържание и обхват, както правото, гарантирано от ЕКПЧ. Ограниченията, които могат да бъдат наложени на това право, не могат да превишават предвидените от член 10, точка 2 от ЕКПЧ, без да се засягат ограниченията, които правото на Съюза в областта на конкуренцията може да наложи на правото на държавите-членки да въвеждат разрешителни режими, посочени в третото изречение от член 10, точка 1 от ЕКПЧ.

      2. Параграф 2 от този член изяснява последиците от параграф 1 по отношение на свободата на медиите. Той се основава по-специално на практиката на Съда по отношение на телевизията, по-специално на неговото решение от 25 юли 1991 г. по Дело С-288/89 Stichting Collectieve Antennevoorziening Gouda и др., ССП 1991, стр. I-4007, както и на Протокола за системата на публичното радиоразпръскване в държавите-членки, приложен към Договора за ЕО, а сега и към Договорите, както и на Директива 89/552/ЕИО на Съвета (вж. по-специално 17-то съображение от нея).
      Source:
      Официален вестник на Европейския съюэ C 303/17 - 14.12.2007
      Preamble - Explanations relating to the Charter of Fundamental Rights:
      Дадените по-долу разяснения бяха подготвени първоначално под ръководството на президиума на Конвента, който изработи Хартата на основните права на Европейския съюз. Те бяха актуализирани под ръководството на президиума на Европейския конвент в светлината на внесените от този Конвент изменения в текста на Хартата (по-специално в членове 51 и 52), както и на развитието на правото на Съюза. Въпреки че тези разяснения сами по себе си нямат юридическа сила, те представляват ценно средство за тълкуване, което е предназначено да изясни разпоредбите на Хартата.
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    63 results found

    • Sweden / Instrument of Government
      Държава:
      Sweden

      Chapter 2 - Fundamental rights and freedoms:

      Article 1 Everyone shall be guaranteed the following rights and freedoms in his or her relations with the public institutions: 1. freedom of expression: that is, the freedom to communicate information and express thoughts, opinions and sentiments, whether orally, pictorially, in writing, or in any other way; 2. freedom of information: that is, the freedom to procure and receive information and otherwise acquaint oneself with the utterances of others; 3. freedom of assembly: that is, the freedom to organise or attend meetings for the purposes of information or the expression of opinion or for any other similar purpose, or for the purpose of presenting artistic work; 4. freedom to demonstrate: that is, the freedom to organise or take part in demonstrations in a public place; 5. freedom of association: that is, the freedom to associate with others for public or private purposes (...);

      Article 2 No one shall in his or her relations with the public institutions be coerced to divulge an opinion in a political, religious, cultural or other such connection. Nor may anyone in his or her relations with the public institutions be coerced to participate in a meeting for the shaping of opinion or a demonstration or other manifestation of opinion, or to belong to a political association, religious community or other association for opinion
      referred to in sentence one;

      Article 3 No record in a public register concerning a Swedish citizen may be based without his or her consent solely on his or her political opinions.

    • Slovakia / Constitution of the Slovak Republic
      Държава:
      Slovakia

      Article 26(1) The freedom of expression and the right to information are guaranteed. (2) Everyone has the right to express his opinion in words, writing, print, images or by other means as well as the right to seek, receive and disseminate ideas and information freely, regardless of the state borders. No approval process is required for press publishing. Entrepreneurial activity in the field of radio and television broadcasting may be subject to permission from the State. The conditions shall be laid down by law. (3) Censorship is prohibited. (4) The freedom of expression and the right to seek and disseminate information may be restricted by law only if such measures is necessary in a democratic society to protect the rights and freedoms of others, State security, public order, protection of health and morals. (5) Public authority bodies are obliged to provide information about their activities in an appropriate manner and in the State language. The conditions and manner of exection shall be laid down by law.

    • Slovenia / Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia
      Държава:
      Slovenia

      Article 39 Freedom of expression of thought, freedom of speech and public appearance, of the press and other forms of public communication and expression shall be guaranteed. Everyone may freely collect, receive and disseminate information and opinions. Except in such cases as are provided by law, everyone has the right to obtain information of a public nature in which he has a well founded legal interest under law.
      Article 40 The right to correct published information which has damaged a right or interest of an individual, organisation or body shall be guaranteed, as shall be the right to reply to such published information.

    • Czechia / Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms
      Държава:
      Czechia

      Article 17 (1) The freedom of expression and the right to information are guaranteed. (2) Everyone has the right to express her opinion in speech, in writing, in the press, in pictures, or in any other form, as well as freely to seek, receive, and disseminate ideas and information irrespective of the frontiers of the State. (3) Censorship is not permitted. (4) The freedom of expression and the right to seek and disseminate information may be limited by law in the case of measures necessary in a democratic society for protecting the rights and freedoms of others, the security of the State, public security, public health, and morals. (5) State bodies and territorial self-governing bodies are obliged, in an appropriate manner, to provide information on their activities. Conditions therefore and the implementation thereof shall be provided for by law.

    • Netherlands / Constitution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
      Държава:
      Netherlands

      Article 7 1. No one shall require prior permission to publish thoughts or opinions through the press, without prejudice to the responsibility of every person under the law. 2. Rules concerning radio and television shall be laid down by Act of Parliament. There shall be no prior supervision of the content of a radio or television broadcast. The Constitution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands 2023 | 5 3. No one shall be required to submit thoughts or opinions for prior approval in order to disseminate them by means other than those mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, without prejudice to the responsibility of every person under the law. The holding of performances open to persons younger than sixteen years of age may be regulated by Act of Parliament in order to protect good morals. 4. The preceding paragraphs do not apply to commercial advertising.

    • Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression
      Държава:
      Sweden

      Chapter 1 - Basic provisions: Article 1 Every Swedish citizen is guaranteed the right under this Fundamental Law, vis-à-vis the public institutions, publicly to express his or her thoughts, opinions and sentiments, and in general to communicate information on any subject whatsoever on sound radio, television and certain similar transmissions, through public playback of material from a database, and in films, video recordings, sound recordings and other technical recordings. The purpose of freedom of expression under this Fundamental Law is to secure the free exchange of opinion, free and comprehensive information, and freedom of artistic creation. No restriction of this freedom shall be permitted other than such as follows from this Fundamental Law. (...); Article 2 Every Swedish citizen is guaranteed the right to communicate information on any subject whatsoever to authors and other originators, as well as to editors, editorial offices, news agencies and enterprises for the production of technical recordings for publication in radio programmes or such recordings. He or she also has the right to procure information on any subject whatsoever for such communication or publication. No restriction of these rights shall be permitted other than such as follows from this Fundamental Law; 3§ There shall be no prior scrutiny by a public authority or other public body of a matter which is intended for release in a radio programme or technical recording. Nor is it permitted for public authorities or other public bodies to prohibit or prevent the release or dissemination to the general public of a radio programme or technical recording on grounds of its known or expected content, except by virtue of this Fundamental Law.(...)

    • The Freedom of the Press Act
      Държава:
      Sweden

      Chapter 1 - On the freedom of press: Article 1 The freedom of the press is understood to mean the right of every Swedish citizen to publish written matter, without prior hindrance by a public authority or other public body, and not to be prosecuted thereafter on grounds of its content other than before a lawful court, or punished
      therefore other than because the content contravenes an express provision of law, enacted to preserve public order without suppressing information to the public. (...); Article 2 No written matter shall be scrutinised prior to printing, nor shall it be permitted to prohibit the printing thereof. Nor shall it be permitted for a public authority or other public body to take any action not authorised under this Act to prevent the printing or publication of written matter, or its dissemination among the general public, on grounds of its content; Article 3 No person may be prosecuted, held liable under penal law, or held liable for damages, on account of an abuse of the freedom of the press or complicity therein, nor may the publication be confiscated or impounded other than as prescribed and in the cases specified in this Act.

    • Tryckfrihetsförordning (1949:105)
      Държава:
      Sweden

      1 kapitlet - Om tryckfrihet 1 § Med tryckfrihet förstås varje svensk medborgares rätt att, utan några av myndighet eller annat allmänt organ i förväg lagda hinder, utgiva skrifter, att sedermera endast inför laglig domstol kunna tilltalas för deras innehåll, och att icke i annat fall kunna straffas därför, än om detta innehåll strider mot tydlig lag, given att bevara allmänt lugn, utan att återhålla allmän upplysning. I överensstämmelse med de i första stycket angivna grunderna för en allmän tryckfrihet och till säkerställande av ett fritt meningsutbyte och en allsidig upplysning skall det stå varje svensk medborgare fritt att, med iakttagande av de bestämmelser som äro i denna förordning meddelade till skydd för enskild rätt och allmän säkerhet, i tryckt skrift yttra sina tankar och åsikter, offentliggöra allmänna handlingar samt meddela uppgifter och underrättelser i vad ämne som helst. (...); 2 § Någon tryckningen föregående granskning av skrift eller något förbud mot tryckning därav må ej förekomma. Ej heller vare tillåtet för myndighet eller annat allmänt organ att på grund av skrifts innehåll, genom åtgärd som icke äger stöd i denna förordning, hindra tryckning eller utgivning av skriften eller dess spridning bland allmänheten; 3 § För missbruk av tryckfriheten eller medverkan däri må ej någon i annan ordning eller i annat fall än denna förordning bestämmer kunna tilltalas eller dömas till ansvar eller ersättningsskyldighet eller skriften konfiskeras eller läggas under beslag.

    • Yttrandefrihetsgrundlag (1991:1469)
      Държава:
      Sweden

      1 kapitlet - Grundläggande bestämmelser: 1 § Varje svensk medborgare är gentemot det allmänna tillförsäkrad rätt enligt denna grundlag att i ljudradio, television och vissa liknande överföringar, offentliga uppspelningar ur en databas samt filmer, videogram, ljudupptagningar och andra tekniska upptagningar offentligen uttrycka tankar, åsikter och känslor och i övrigt lämna uppgifter i vilket ämne som helst. Yttrandefriheten enligt denna grundlag har till ändamål att säkra ett fritt meningsutbyte, en fri och allsidig upplysning och ett fritt konstnärligt skapande. I den får inga andra begränsningar göras än de som följer av denna grundlag. (...); 2 § Varje svensk medborgare är tillförsäkrad rätt att till författare och andra upphovsmän samt till utgivare, redaktioner, nyhetsbyråer och företag för framställning av tekniska upptagningar lämna uppgifter i vilket ämne som helst för offentliggörande i radioprogram och sådana upptagningar. Han har också rätt att anskaffa uppgifter i vilket ämne som helst för sådant uppgiftslämnande eller offentliggörande. I dessa rättigheter får inga andra begränsningar göras än de som följer av denna grundlag; 3 § Det får inte förekomma att något som är avsett att framföras i ett radioprogram eller en teknisk upptagning först måste granskas av en myndighet eller något annat allmänt organ. Inte heller är det tillåtet för myndigheter och andra allmänna organ att utan stöd i denna grundlag, på grund av det kända eller väntade innehållet i ett radioprogram eller en teknisk upptagning, förbjuda eller hindra dess offentliggörande eller spridning bland allmänheten.(...)

    • Spain / Constitution of the Kingdom of Spain
      Държава:
      Spain

      Article 20 1. The following rights are recognized and protected: a) the right to freely express and spread thoughts, ideas and opinions through words, in writing or by any other means of reproduction; b) the right to literary, artistic, scientific and technical production and creation; c) the right to academic freedom; d) the right to freely communicate or receive truthful information by any means of dissemination whatsoever. The law shall regulate the right to the clause of conscience and professional secrecy in the exercise of these freedoms. 2. The exercise of these rights may not be restricted by any form of prior censorship. 3.The law shall regulate the organization and parliamentary control of the masscommunication means under the control of the State or any public agency and shall guarantee access to such means by the significant social and political groups, respecting the pluralism of society and of the various languages of Spain. 4. These freedoms are limited by respect for the rights recognized in this Part, by the legal provisions implementing it, and especially by the right to honour, to privacy, to the own image and to the protection of youth and childhood. 5. The seizure of publications, recordings and other means of information may only be carried out by means of a court order.

    • Act on Free Access to Information and Amendments of Certain Acts
      Държава:
      Slovakia

      §1 Subject of the ActThis act shall regulate the terms, procedure and scope of free access to information.

    • Zákon o slobodnom prístupe k informáciám a o zmene a doplnení niektorých zákonov (zákon o slobode informácií)
      Държава:
      Slovakia

      § 1 Predmet úpravy - Tento zákon upravuje podmienky, postup a rozsah slobodného prístupu k informáciám.

    • Romania / Constitution of Romania
      Държава:
      Romania

      Article 30(1) Freedom of expression of thoughts, opinions, or beliefs, and freedom of any creation, by words, in writing, in pictures, by sounds or other means of communication in public are inviolable. (2) Any censorship shall be prohibited. (3) Freedom of the press also involves the free setting up of publications. (4) No publication shall be suppressed. (5) The law may impose upon the mass media the obligation to make public their financing source. (6) Freedom of expression shall not be prejudicial to the dignity, honour, privacy of a person, and to the right to one's own image. (7) Any defamation of the country and the nation, any instigation to a war of aggression, to national, racial, class or religious hatred, any incitement to discrimination, territorial separatism, or public violence, as well as any obscene conduct contrary to morality shall be prohibited by law. (8) Civil liability for any information or creation made public falls upon the publisher or producer, the author, the producer of the artistic performance, the owner of the copying facilities, radio or television station, under the terms laid down by law. Indictable offences of the press shall be established by law.

      Article 31 (1) A person's right of access to any information of public interest shall not be restricted. (2) The public authorities, according to their competence, shall be bound to provide correct information to the citizens in public affairs and matters of personal interest. (3) The right to information shall not be prejudicial to the measures of protection of young people or national security. (4) Public and private media shall be bound to provide correct information to the public opinion. (5) Public radio and television services shall be autonomous. They must guarantee any important social and political group the exercise of the right to broadcasting time. The organization of these services and the parliamentary control over their activity shall be regulated by an organic law.

    • Constituição da República Portuguesa
      Държава:
      Portugal

      Artigo 37.º (Liberdade de expressão e informação) 1. Todos têm o direito de exprimir e divulgar livremente o seu pensamento pela palavra, pela imagem ou por qualquer outro meio, bem como o direito de informar, de se informar e de ser informado, sem impedimentos nem discriminações. 2. O exercício destes direitos não pode ser impedido ou limitado por qualquer tipo ou forma de censura. 3. As infracções cometidas no exercício destes direitos ficam submetidas aos princípios gerais de direito criminal ou do ilícito de mera ordenação social, sendo a sua apreciação respectivamente da competência dos tribunais judiciais ou de entidade administrativa independente, nos termos da lei. 4. A todas as pessoas, singulares ou colectivas, é assegurado, em condições de igualdade e eficácia, o direito de resposta e de rectificação, bem como o direito a indemnização pelos danos sofridos. Artigo 38.º (Liberdade de imprensa e meios de comunicação social) 1. É garantida a liberdade de imprensa. 2. A liberdade de imprensa implica: a) A liberdade de expressão e criação dos jornalistas e colaboradores, bem como a intervenção dos primeiros na orientação editorial dos respectivos órgãos de comunicação social, salvo quando tiverem natureza doutrinária ou confessional; b) O direito dos jornalistas, nos termos da lei, ao acesso às fontes de informação e à protecção da independência e do sigilo profissionais, bem como o direito de elegerem conselhos de redacção; c) O direito de fundação de jornais e de quaisquer outras publicações, independentemente de autorização administrativa, caução ou habilitação prévias. 3. A lei assegura, com carácter genérico, a divulgação da titularidade e dos meios de financiamento dos órgãos de comunicação social. 4. O Estado assegura a liberdade e a independência dos órgãos de comunicação social perante o poder político e o poder económico, impondo o princípio da especialidade das empresas titulares de órgãos de informação geral, tratando-as e apoiando-as de forma não discriminatória e impedindo a sua concentração, designadamente através de participações múltiplas ou cruzadas. 5. O Estado assegura a existência e o funcionamento de um serviço público de rádio e de televisão. 6. A estrutura e o funcionamento dos meios de comunicação social do sector público devem salvaguardar a sua independência perante o Governo, a Administração e os demais poderes públicos, bem como assegurar a possibilidade de expressão e confronto das diversas correntes de opinião. 7. As estações emissoras de radiodifusão e de radiotelevisão só podem funcionar mediante licença, a conferir por concurso público, nos termos da lei. Artigo 39.º (Regulação da comunicação social) 1. Cabe a uma entidade administrativa independente assegurar nos meios de comunicação social: a) O direito à informação e a liberdade de imprensa; b) A não concentração da titularidade dos meios de comunicação social; c) A independência perante o poder político e o poder económico; d) O respeito pelos direitos, liberdades e garantias pessoais; e) O respeito pelas normas reguladoras das actividades de comunicação social; f) A possibilidade de expressão e confronto das diversas correntes de opinião; g) O exercício dos direitos de antena, de resposta e de réplica política. 2. A lei define a composição, as competências, a organização e o funcionamento da entidade referida no número anterior, bem como o estatuto dos respectivos membros, designados pela Assembleia da República e por cooptação destes. Artigo 40.º (Direitos de antena, de resposta e de réplica política) 1. Os partidos políticos e as organizações sindicais, profissionais e representativas das actividades económicas, bem como outras organizações sociais de âmbito nacional, têm direito, de acordo com a sua relevância e representatividade e segundo critérios objectivos a definir por lei, a tempos de antena no serviço público de rádio e de televisão. 2. Os partidos políticos representados na Assembleia da República, e que não façam parte do Governo, têm direito, nos termos da lei, a tempos de antena no serviço público de rádio e televisão, a ratear de acordo com a sua representatividade, bem como o direito de resposta ou de réplica política às declarações políticas do Governo, de duração e relevo iguais aos dos tempos de antena e das declarações do Governo, de iguais direitos gozando, no âmbito da respectiva região, os partidos representados nas Assembleias Legislativas das regiões autónomas. 3. Nos períodos eleitorais os concorrentes têm direito a tempos de antena, regulares e equitativos, nas estações emissoras de rádio e de televisão de âmbito nacional e regional, nos termos da lei.

    • Constitution of the Portuguese Republic
      Държава:
      Portugal

      Article 37 (Freedom of expression and information) (1) Everyone shall possess the right to freely express and publicise his thoughts in words, images or by any other means, as well as the right to inform others, inform himself and be informed without hindrance or discrimination. (2) Exercise of the said rights shall not be hindered or limited by any type or form of censorship. (3) Infractions committed in the exercise of the said rights shall be subject to the general principles of the criminal law or the law governing administrative offences, and shall be brought before the courts of law or an independent administrative body respectively, as laid down by law. (4) Every person and body corporate shall be equally and effectively guaranteed the right of reply and to make corrections, as well as the right to compensation for damages suffered. Article 38 (Freedom of press and media) (1) The freedom of the press shall be guaranteed. (2) Freedom of the press shall mean: (a) Journalists and other staff’s freedom of expression and creativity, as well as journalists’ freedom to take part in determining the editorial policy of the media body in question, save when it is doctrinal or denominational in nature; (b) Journalists’ right, as laid down by law, to gain access to sources of information and to the protection of professional independence and secrecy, as well as their right to elect editorial boards; (c) The right to found newspapers and any other publications, regardless of any prior administrative authorisation, bond or qualification. (3) In generic terms, the law shall ensure that the names of the owners of media bodies and the means by which those bodies are financed are publicised. (4) The state shall ensure the media’s freedom and independence from political power and economic power by imposing the principle of specialisation on businesses that own general information media, treating and supporting them in a non-discriminatory manner and preventing their concentration, particularly by means of multiple or interlocking interests. (5) The state shall ensure the existence and operation of a public radio and television service. (6) The structure and operation of public sector media shall safeguard their independence from the Government, the Public Administration and the other public authorities, and shall ensure that all the different currents of opinion are able to express themselves and to confront one another. (7) Radio and television broadcasting stations shall only operate with licenses that are granted under public calls for tender, as laid down by law. Article 39 (Regulation of the media) (1) An independent administrative body shall be responsible for ensuring the following in the media: (a) The right to information and the freedom of the press; (b) The non-concentration of ownership of the media; (c) Independence from political power and economic power; (d) Respect for personal rights, freedoms and guarantees; (e) Respect for the statutes and rules that regulate the work of the media; (f) That all different currents of opinion are able to express themselves and confront one another; (g) Exercise of the rights to broadcasting time, of reply and of political response. (2) The law shall define the composition, responsibilities, organisation and modus operandi of the body referred to in the previous paragraph, together with the status and role of its members, who shall be appointed by the Assembly of the Republic and coopted by those so appointed. Article 40 (Rights of broadcasting time, of reply and of political response) (1) Political parties, trade unions, professional and business organisations and other organisations with a national scope shall, in accordance with their size and representativity and with objective criteria that shall be defined by law, possess the right to broadcasting time on the public radio and television service. (2) Political parties that hold one or more seats in the Assembly of the Republic and do not form part of the Government shall, as laid down by law, possess the right to broadcasting time on the public radio and television service, which shall be apportioned in accordance with each party’s proportional share of the seats in the Assembly, as well as to reply or respond politically to the Government’s political statements. Such times shall be of the same duration and prominence as those given over to the Government’s broadcasts and statements. Parties with seats in the Legislative Assemblies of the autonomous regions shall enjoy the same rights within the ambit of the region in question. 3. During elections and as laid down by law, candidates shall possess the right to regular and equitable broadcasting time on radio and television stations with a national or regional scope.

    • Constitution of the Republic of Poland
      Държава:
      Poland

      Article 54.1. The freedom to express opinions, to acquire and to disseminate information shall be ensured to everyone. 2. Preventive censorship of the means of social communication and the licensing of the press shall be prohibited. Statutes may require the receipt of a permit for the operation of a radio or television station.

    • Konstytucja Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej
      Държава:
      Poland

      Art. 54.1. Każdemu zapewnia się wolność wyrażania swoich poglądów oraz pozyskiwania i rozpowszechniania informacji.2. Cenzura prewencyjna środków społecznego przekazu oraz koncesjonowanie prasy są zakazane. Ustawa może wprowadzić obowiązek uprzedniego uzyskania koncesji na prowadzenie stacji radiowej lub telewizyjnej.

    • Constitution of Malta
      Държава:
      Malta

      Article 41(1) Except with his own consent or by way of parental discipline, no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinion without interference, freedom to receive ideas and information without interference, freedom to communicate ideas and information without interference (whether the communication be to the public generally or to any person or class of persons) and freedom from interference with his correspondence. (2) Nothing contained in or done under the authority of any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of subsection (1) of this section to the extent that the law in question makes provision (a) that is reasonably required (i) in the interests of defence, public safety, public order, public morality or decency, or public health; or (ii) for the purpose of protecting the reputations rights and freedoms of other persons, or the private lives of persons concerned in legal proceedings, preventing the disclosure of information received in confidence, maintaining the authority and independence of the courts, protecting the privileges of Parliament, or regulating telephony, telegraphy, posts, wireless broadcasting, television or other means of communication, public exhibitions or public entertainments; or (b) that imposes restrictions upon public officers, and except so far as that provision or, as the case may be, the thing done under the authority thereof is shown not to be reasonably justifiable in a democratic society. (3) Anyone who is resident in Malta may edit or print a newspaper or journal published daily or periodically: Provided that provision may be made by law (a) prohibiting or restricting the editing or printing of any such newspaper or journal by persons under twenty-one years of age; and (b) requiring any person who is the editor or printer of any such newspaper or journal to inform the prescribed authority to that effect and of his age and to keep the prescribed authority informed of his place of residence. (4) Where the police seize any edition of a newspaper as being the means whereby a criminal offence has been committed they shall within twenty-four hours of the seizure bring the seizure to the notice of the competent court and if the court is not satisfied that there is a prima facie case of such offence, that edition shall be returned to the person from whom it was seized. (5) No person shall be deprived of his citizenship under any provisions made under section 301(1) (b) of this Constitution or of his juridical capacity by reason only of his political opinions.

    • Constitution du Grand Duche de Luxembourg
      Държава:
      Luxembourg

      Article 24. La liberté de manifester ses opinions par la parole en toutes matières, et la liberté de la presse sont garanties, sauf la répression des délits commis à l'occasion de l'exercice de ces libertés. - La censure ne pourra jamais être établie.

    • Constitution of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
      Държава:
      Luxembourg

      Article 24. The freedom to manifest one's opinion by speech in all matters, and the freedom of the press are guaranteed, save the repression of offenses committed on the occasion of the exercise of these freedoms. - Censorship may never be established.

    15 results found

    • Directive (EU) 2024/1069 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 on protecting persons who engage in public participation from manifestly unfounded claims or abusive court proceedings (‘Strategic lawsuits against public participatio

      Preamble 


      (3) Article 10(3) TEU states that every Union citizen has the right to participate in the democratic life of the Union. The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the ‘Charter’) provides, inter alia, for the right to respect for private and family life, to the protection of personal data, to freedom of expression and information, which includes respect for the freedom and pluralism of the media, to freedom of assembly and of association and the right to an effective remedy and to a fair trial.

      (4) The right to freedom of expression and information as established in Article 11 of the Charter includes the right to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. It is necessary to give to Article 11 of the Charter the meaning and scope of corresponding Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (‘ECHR’) on the right to freedom of expression as interpreted by the European Court of Human Rights (‘ECtHR’).


      (7) The right to freedom of expression is a fundamental right that is to be exercised with a sense of duty and responsibility, taking into account people’s fundamental right to obtain impartial information, as well as respect for the fundamental right to protect one’s reputation, protection of personal data and privacy. In cases of a conflict between those rights, all parties are to have access to courts with due respect for the fair trial principle. To that end, this Directive should leave the court or tribunal seised of the matter with the discretion to consider whether the application of the relevant safeguards is appropriate in a particular case. In exercising such discretion the court should not apply the relevant safeguards for example where the public participation is not in good faith such as in cases where, through the public participation, the defendant disseminated disinformation or fabricated allegations for the purpose of damaging the claimant’s reputation.

      (22) Public participation should be defined as the making of any statement or the carrying out of any activity by a natural or legal person in the exercise of fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and information, freedom of the arts and sciences, or freedom of assembly and association, and concerning a matter of current or future public interest, including the creation, exhibition, advertisement, or other promotion of journalistic, political, scientific, academic, artistic, commentary or satirical communications, publications or works, and marketing activities. Future public interest refers to the fact that a matter might not yet be of public interest, but could become so, once the public becomes aware of it, for example by means of a publication. Public participation can also include activities related to the exercise of academic and artistic freedom, the right to freedom of association and peaceful assembly, such as the organisation of or participation in lobbying activities, demonstrations and protests or activities resulting from the exercise of the right to good administration and the right to an effective remedy, such as claims before courts or administrative bodies and participation in public hearings. Public participation should also include preparatory, supporting or assisting activities that have a direct and inherent link to the statement or activity that is targeted by SLAPPs to stifle public participation. Such activities should directly concern a specific act of public participation or be based on a contractual link between the actual target of a SLAPP and the person providing the preparatory, supporting or assisting activity. Bringing claims not against a journalist or a human rights defender but against the internet platform on which they publish their work or against the company that prints a text or a shop that sells the text can be an effective way of silencing public participation, as without such services opinions cannot be published and thus cannot influence public debate. In addition, public participation can cover other activities meant to inform or influence public opinion or to foster the taking of action by the public, including activities by private or public entities in relation to an issue of public interest, such as the organisation of or participation in research, surveys, campaigns or any other collective actions.

      Article 4: Definitions

      For the purposes of this Directive, the following definitions apply:

      (1) ‘public participation’ means the making of any statement or the carrying out of any activity by a natural or legal person in the exercise of the right to freedom of expression and information, freedom of the arts and sciences, or freedom of assembly and association, and any preparatory, supporting or assisting action directly linked thereto, and which concerns a matter of public interest;

      (2) ‘matter of public interest’ means any matter which affects the public to such an extent that the public may legitimately take an interest in it, in areas such as:

      (a) fundamental rights, public health, safety, the environment or the climate;

      (b) activities of a natural or legal person that is a public figure in the public or private sector;

      (c) matters under consideration by a legislative, executive, or judicial body, or any other official proceedings;

      (d) allegations of corruption, fraud, or of any other criminal offence, or of administrative offences in relation to such matters;

      (e) activities aimed at protecting the values enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union, including the protection of democratic processes against undue interference, in particular by fighting disinformation;

      (3) ‘abusive court proceedings against public participation’ mean court proceedings which are not brought to genuinely assert or exercise a right, but have as their main purpose the prevention, restriction or penalisation of public participation, frequently exploiting an imbalance of power between the parties, and which pursue unfounded claims. Indications of such a purpose include for example:

      (a) the disproportionate, excessive or unreasonable nature of the claim or part thereof, including the excessive dispute value;

      (b) the existence of multiple proceedings initiated by the claimant or associated parties in relation to similar matters;

      (c) intimidation, harassment or threats on the part of the claimant or the claimant’s representatives, before or during the proceedings, as well as similar conduct by the claimant in similar or concurrent cases;

      (d) the use in bad faith of procedural tactics, such as delaying proceedings, fraudulent or abusive forum shopping or the discontinuation of cases at a later stage of the proceedings in bad faith.

      Article 9: Support for the defendant in court proceedings

      Member States shall ensure that a court or tribunal seised of court proceedings brought against natural or legal persons on account of their engagement in public participation may accept that associations, organisations, trade unions and other entities which have, in accordance with the criteria laid down by their national law, a legitimate interest in safeguarding or promoting the rights of persons engaging in public participation, may support the defendant, where the defendant so approves, or provide information in those proceedings in accordance with national law.

    • Directive (EU) 2024/1385 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 on combating violence against women and domestic violence

      Preamble  


      (2) Equality between women and men and non-discrimination are core values of the Union and fundamental rights enshrined, respectively, in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and in Articles 21 and 23 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the ‘Charter’). Violence against women and domestic violence endanger those very values and rights, undermining women and girls’ rights to equality in all areas of life and hindering their equal societal and professional participation.

      (3) Violence against women and domestic violence is a violation of fundamental rights such as the right to human dignity, the right to life and integrity of the person, the prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, the right to respect for private and family life, the right to liberty and security, the right to the protection of personal data, the right to non-discrimination, including on the grounds of sex, and the rights of the child, as enshrined in the Charter and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.


      (6) Violence against women and domestic violence can be exacerbated where it intersects with discrimination based on a combination of sex and any other ground or grounds of discrimination as referred to in Article 21 of the Charter, namely race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation (‘intersectional discrimination’). Member States should therefore pay due regard to victims affected by such intersectional discrimination by taking specific measures. Persons affected by intersectional discrimination are at a heightened risk of experiencing gender-based violence. Consequently, Member States should take that heightened level of risk into consideration when implementing the measures provided for by this Directive, especially regarding the individual assessment to identify victims’ protection needs, specialist support to victims and training and information for professionals likely to come into contact with victims.


      (20) The dissemination of images, videos or other material depicting sexually explicit activities or the intimate parts of a person without that person’s consent to the public by means of ICT should not be criminalised, where such non-criminalisation is necessary to safeguard the fundamental rights protected under the Charter, in particular the freedom of expression, including the freedom to receive and impart information and ideas in an open and democratic society, as well as the freedom of the arts and sciences, including academic freedom. Moreover, the offence should not cover the handling of material by public authorities, in particular to conduct criminal proceedings or to prevent, detect or investigate crime, and Member States should be able to exempt a person from responsibility under specific circumstances, for example where telephone or internet helplines handle material in order to report an offence to authorities.


      (26) The offence of cyber incitement to violence or hatred presupposes that the incitement is not expressed in a purely private context but publicly through the use of ICT. Therefore, it should require dissemination to the public, which should be understood as entailing making a given item of material which amounts to incitement to violence or hatred accessible, through ICT, to a potentially unlimited number of persons, namely making the material easily accessible to users in general, without requiring further action by the person who provided the material, irrespective of whether those persons actually access the information in question. Accordingly, where access to the material requires registration or admittance to a group of users, that information should be considered to be disseminated to the public only where users seeking to access the material are automatically registered or admitted without a human decision or without selecting to whom access is granted. In assessing whether material qualifies as amounting to incitement to hatred or violence, the competent authorities should take into account the fundamental right to freedom of expression as enshrined in Article 11 of the Charter.


      (33) In the case of domestic violence and violence against women, especially where committed by close family members or intimate partners, victims might be under such duress from the offender that they fear to reach out to the competent authorities, even if their lives are in danger. Therefore, Member States should ensure that their confidentiality rules do not constitute an obstacle for healthcare professionals to report to the competent authorities, where they have reasonable grounds to believe that there is an imminent risk of serious physical harm. Such reporting is justified because such acts might not be reported by those who experience or directly witness them. Similarly, instances of domestic violence or violence against women which affect children are often only intercepted by third parties noticing irregular behaviour or physical harm to the child. Children need to be effectively protected from such forms of violence and adequate measures promptly taken. Therefore, professionals who come into contact with child victims, including healthcare, social services or education professionals, should not be constrained by confidentiality rules where they have reasonable grounds to believe that serious physical harm has been inflicted on a child. Where professionals report such instances of violence, Member States should ensure that they are not held liable for breach of confidentiality. However, legal professional privilege should be protected, in accordance with Article 7 of the Charter, as justified by the fundamental role assigned to lawyers in a democratic society. Where provided for by national law, the clergy-penitent privilege, or equivalent principles applicable in order to safeguard the freedom of religion, should also be protected. In addition, the possibility for professionals to report such instances of violence is without prejudice to national rules on confidentiality of sources applicable in the context of the media.


      (42) Victims are often in need of specific support. To ensure they effectively receive offers of support, the competent authorities should refer victims to appropriate support services. That should, in particular, be the case where an individual assessment has found that the victim has particular support needs. When determining whether to refer child victims to support services, the best interests of those victims should be a primary consideration, as laid down in Article 24 of the Charter. Member States should ensure that the processing of related personal data by competent authorities is based on law, in accordance with the relevant provisions concerning the lawfulness of processing set out in Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council  and in accordance with Directive (EU) 2016/680 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Such law should include appropriate personal data safeguards that respect the essence of the right to data protection and provide for suitable and specific measures to safeguard the fundamental rights and the interests of individuals. Where competent authorities transfer victims’ personal data to support services for the purposes of victim referral, they should ensure that the data transferred are limited to what is necessary to inform the support services of the circumstances of the case, so that victims receive appropriate support and protection. A support service should only store personal data for as long as necessary and, in any event, for no longer than five years, or a shorter period of time if established in national law, after the last contact between the support service and the victim.


      (68) To effectively address negative consequences for children, support measures for children should include specialised psychological counselling adapted to the age, developmental needs and individual situation of the child, together with paediatric care where necessary, and be provided as soon as the competent authorities have reasonable grounds to believe that children might have been victims, including child witnesses. When providing support to children, the rights of the child, as laid down in Article 24 of the Charter, should be a primary consideration.

      Article 16: Individual assessment to identify victims’ protection needs

      4.   The individual assessment as referred to in paragraph 2 shall take into account the victim’s individual circumstances, including whether the victim experiences discrimination based on a combination of sex and any other ground or grounds of discrimination as referred to in Article 21 of the Charter (‘intersectional discrimination’), and, therefore, faces a heightened risk of violence, and the victim’s own account and assessment of the situation. It shall be conducted in the best interest of the victim, paying special attention to the need to avoid secondary or repeat victimisation.

      Article 23: Measures to remove certain online material

      4.   Member States shall ensure that the orders and other measures referred to in paragraph 1 are taken following transparent procedures and are subject to adequate safeguards, in particular to ensure that those orders and other measures are limited to what is necessary and proportionate and that due account is taken of the rights and interests of all relevant parties involved, including their fundamental rights in accordance with the Charter.

      Member States shall ensure that hosting service providers, other relevant intermediary service providers and content providers affected by an order as referred to in the second subparagraph of paragraph 1 have a right to an effective judicial remedy. Such right shall include the right to challenge such an order before the courts of the Member State of the competent authority that issued the order.

      Article 47: Freedom of the press and freedom of expression in other media

      This Directive shall not affect special liability regimes relating to fundamental principles on the freedom of the press and the freedom of expression in protected media which exist in Member States as of 13 June 2024, provided that such regimes can be applied in full compliance with the Charter.

    • Regulation (EU) 2024/1083 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 establishing a common framework for media services in the internal market and amending Directive 2010/13/EU

      Preamble 


      (15) This Regulation does not affect the freedom of expression and information guaranteed to individuals under the Charter. The European Court of Human Rights has observed that in such a sensitive sector as the audiovisual media sector, in addition to its negative duty of non-interference, the public powers have a positive obligation to put in place an appropriate legislative and administrative framework to guarantee effective media pluralism


      (20) In order to avoid circumvention of the protection of journalistic sources and confidential communications and guarantee adequate respect for one’s private and family life, home and communications in accordance with the Charter, safeguards should also apply to persons who, because of their regular private or professional relationship with media service providers or members of their editorial staff, are likely to have information that could identify journalistic sources or confidential communications. That should include persons living in a close relationship in a joint household and on a stable and continuous basis and persons who are or have been professionally involved in the preparation, production or dissemination of programmes or press publications and who are only targeted due to their close links with media service providers, journalists or other members of the editorial staff. The protection of journalistic sources and confidential communications should also benefit the staff of media service providers, such as the technical staff, including cybersecurity experts, who could be targeted given the important support role they provide to journalists in their daily work, which requires solutions to ensure the confidentiality of journalists’ work, and the resulting likelihood that they have access to information concerning journalistic sources or confidential communications.

      (21) Protecting journalistic sources and confidential communications is consistent with and contributes to the protection of the fundamental right enshrined in Article 11 of the Charter. It is also crucial for safeguarding the ‘public watchdog’ role of media service providers and, in particular investigative journalists in democratic societies and for upholding the rule of law. In light thereof, ensuring an adequate level of protection for journalistic sources and confidential communications requires that measures for obtaining such information be authorised by an authority that can independently and impartially assess whether it is justified by an overriding reason of public interest, such as a court, a judge, a prosecutor acting in a judicial capacity, or another such authority with competence to authorise those measures in accordance with national law. It also requires that surveillance measures be subject to regular review by such an authority to ascertain whether the conditions justifying the use of the measure in question continue to be fulfilled. That requirement is also met where the purpose of the regular review is to verify whether the conditions justifying an extension of the authorisation for the use of the measure have been fulfilled.


      (26) Intrusive surveillance software should only be deployed where it is justified by an overriding reason of public interest, it is provided for in Union or national law, it is in compliance with Article 52(1) of the Charter as interpreted by the Court of Justice and with other Union law, it has been authorised ex ante or, in exceptional and urgent cases, subsequently confirmed by a judicial authority or an independent and impartial decision-making authority, it occurs in investigations of offences listed in Article 2(2) of Council Framework Decision 2002/584/JHA (9) punishable in the Member State concerned by a custodial sentence or a detention order of a maximum period of at least three years or in investigations of other serious offences punishable in the Member State concerned by a custodial sentence or a detention order of a maximum period of at least five years, as determined by the national law of that Member State, and provided that no other less restrictive measure would be adequate and sufficient to obtain the information sought. According to the principle of proportionality, limitations can be made to an individual’s rights and freedoms only if they are necessary and genuinely meet objectives of general interest recognised by the Union. Thus, as regards specifically the deployment of intrusive surveillance software, it is necessary to ascertain whether the offence in question attains a threshold of seriousness as laid down in this Regulation, whether, following an individual assessment of all the relevant circumstances in a given case, the investigation and prosecution of that offence merit the particularly intrusive interference with fundamental rights and economic freedoms consisting in the deployment of intrusive surveillance software, whether there is sufficient evidence that the offence in question has been committed, and whether the deployment of intrusive surveillance software is relevant for the purpose of establishing the facts related to the investigation and prosecution of that offence.


      (77) This Regulation respects the fundamental rights and observes the principles recognised by the Charter, in particular Articles 7, 8, 11, 16, 47, 50 and 52 thereof. Accordingly, this Regulation should be interpreted and applied with due respect for those rights and principles. In particular, nothing in this Regulation should be interpreted as interfering with the freedom of information, editorial freedom or the freedom of the press as enshrined in national constitutional law that is consistent with the Charter or as incentivising Member States to introduce requirements for the editorial content of press publications.

      Article 4: Rights of media service providers 

      4.   By way of derogation from paragraph 3, points (a) and (b), of this Article, Member States may take a measure referred to therein, provided that it:

      (a) is provided for by Union or national law;

      (b) is in compliance with Article 52(1) of the Charter and other Union law;

      (c) is justified on a case-by-case basis by an overriding reason of public interest and is proportionate; and

      (d) is subject to prior authorisation by a judicial authority or an independent and impartial decision-making authority or, in duly justified exceptional and urgent cases, is subsequently authorised by such an authority without undue delay.

      8.   Member States shall ensure that media service providers, their editorial staff or any persons who, because of their regular or professional relationship with a media service provider or its editorial staff, might have information related to or capable of identifying journalistic sources or confidential communications have a right to effective judicial protection, in line with Article 47 of the Charter, in cases regarding breaches of paragraphs 3 to 7 of this Article.

      Article 6: Duties of media services providers

      3.   Without prejudice to national constitutional law consistent with the Charter, media service providers providing news and current affairs content shall take measures that they deem appropriate with a view to guaranteeing the independence of editorial decisions. In particular, such measures shall aim to:

      (a) guarantee that editorial decisions can be taken freely within the established editorial line of the media service provider concerned; and

      (b) ensure that any actual or potential conflicts of interest that might affect the provision of news and current affairs content are disclosed.

    • Regulation (EU) 2024/900 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 March 2024 on the transparency and targeting of political advertising

      Preamble 

      (13) Full harmonisation of the transparency and related due diligence obligations should be without prejudice to the freedom of providers of political advertising services to provide on a voluntary basis further information on political advertising, as part of the freedom of expression and information protected under Article 11 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (‘the Charter’).


      (49) Freedom of expression and information, as protected by Article 11 of the Charter, covers an individual’s right to hold political opinions, receive and impart political information and share political ideas. Any limitation to that freedom has to comply with Article 52 of the Charter. That freedom can be subject to modulations and restrictions where they are necessary and justified by the pursuit of a legitimate public interest and comply with the general principles of Union law, such as proportionality and legal certainty. That is inter alia the case where political ideas are communicated through providers of political advertising services. Freedom of expression and information is one of the cornerstones of a lively democratic debate.

    • Directive 2011/95 - Standards for the qualification of third-country nationals or stateless persons as beneficiaries of international protection, for a uniform status for refugees or for persons eligible for subsidiary protection, and for the content of t

      Preamble 

      (10) This Directive respects the fundamental rights and observes the principles recognised in particular by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. In particular this Directive seeks to ensure full respect for human dignity and the right to asylum of applicants for asylum and their accompanying family members.

      (16) This Directive respects the fundamental rights and observes the principles recognised in particular by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.  In particular this Directive seeks to ensure full respect for  human dignity and the right to asylum of applicants for  asylum and their accompanying family members and to  promote the application of Articles 1, 7, 11, 14, 15, 16, 
      18, 21, 24, 34 and 35 of that Charter, and should  therefore be implemented accordingly.


      (34) With regard to social assistance and health care, the modalities and detail of the provision of core benefits to beneficiaries of subsidiary protection status should be determined by national law. The possibility of limiting the benefits for beneficiaries of subsidiary protection status to core benefits is to be understood in the sense that this notion covers at least minimum income support, assistance in case of illness, pregnancy and parental assistance, in so far as they are granted to nationals according to the legislation of the Member State concerned.

      (35) Access to health care, including both physical and mental health care, should be ensured to beneficiaries of refugee or subsidiary protection status.

      Article 2: Definitions
      For the purposes of this Directive the following definitions shall apply:
      (a) ‘international protection’ means refugee status and subsidiary protection status as defined in points (e) and (g);
      (d) ‘refugee’ means a third-country national who, owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership of a particular social group, is outside the country of nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of that country, or a stateless person, who, being outside of the country of former habitual residence for the same reasons as mentioned above, is unable or, owing to such fear, unwilling to return to it, and to whom Article 12 does not apply; [...]
      (e) ‘refugee status’ means the recognition by a Member State of a third-country national or a stateless person as a refugee;
      (f) ‘person eligible for subsidiary protection’ means a third-country national or a stateless person who does not qualify as a refugee but in respect of whom substantial grounds have been shown for believing that the person concerned, if returned to his or her country of origin, or in the case of a stateless person, to his or her country of former habitual residence, would face a real risk of suffering serious harm as defined in Article 15, and to whom Article 17(1) and (2) does not apply, and is unable, or, owing to such risk, unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of that country;
      (g) ‘subsidiary protection status’ means the recognition by a Member State of a third-country national or a stateless person as a person eligible for subsidiary protection; [...]

      Article 13: Granting of refugee status
      Member States shall grant refugee status to a third-country national or a stateless person who qualifies as a refugee in accordance with Chapters II and III.‘

      Article 18: Granting of subsidiary protection status
      Member States shall grant subsidiary protection status to a third-country national or a stateless person eligible for subsidiary protection in accordance with Chapters II and V.‘

      Article 21: Protection from refoulement

      1.   Member States shall respect the principle of non-refoulement in accordance with their international obligations.

      2.   Where not prohibited by the international obligations mentioned in paragraph 1, Member States may refoule a refugee, whether formally recognised or not, when:

      (a) there are reasonable grounds for considering him or her as a danger to the security of the Member State in which he or she is present; or

      (b) he or she, having been convicted by a final judgement of a particularly serious crime, constitutes a danger to the community of that Member State.

      3.   Member States may revoke, end or refuse to renew or to grant the residence permit of (or to) a refugee to whom paragraph 2 applies.

      Article 22: Information

      Member States shall provide persons recognised as being in need of international protection, as soon as possible after the respective protection status has been granted, with access to information, in a language likely to be understood by them, on the rights and obligations relating to that status.

      Article 23: Maintaining family unity

      1.   Member States shall ensure that family unity can be maintained.

      2.   Member States shall ensure that family members of the beneficiary of refugee or subsidiary protection status, who do not individually qualify for such status, are entitled to claim the benefits referred to in Articles 24 to 34, in accordance with national procedures and as far as it is compatible with the personal legal status of the family member.

      In so far as the family members of beneficiaries of subsidiary protection status are concerned, Member States may define the conditions applicable to such benefits.

      In these cases, Member States shall ensure that any benefits provided guarantee an adequate standard of living.

      3.   Paragraphs 1 and 2 are not applicable where the family member is or would be excluded from refugee or subsidiary protection status pursuant to Chapters III and V.

      4.   Notwithstanding paragraphs 1 and 2, Member States may refuse, reduce or withdraw the benefits referred therein for reasons of national security or public order.

      5.   Member States may decide that this Article also applies to other close relatives who lived together as part of the family at the time of leaving the country of origin, and who were wholly or mainly dependent on the beneficiary of refugee or subsidiary protection status at that time.

      Article 26: Access to employment

      1.   Member States shall authorise beneficiaries of refugee status to engage in employed or self-employed activities subject to rules generally applicable to the profession and to the public service, immediately after the refugee status has been granted.

      2.   Member States shall ensure that activities such as employment-related education opportunities for adults, vocational training and practical workplace experience are offered to beneficiaries of refugee status, under equivalent conditions as nationals.

      3.   Member States shall authorise beneficiaries of subsidiary protection status to engage in employed or self-employed activities subject to rules generally applicable to the profession and to the public service immediately after the subsidiary protection status has been granted. The situation of the labour market in the Member States may be taken into account, including for possible prioritisation of access to employment for a limited period of time to be determined in accordance with national law. Member States shall ensure that the beneficiary of subsidiary protection status has access to a post for which the beneficiary has received an offer in accordance with national rules on prioritisation in the labour market.

      4.   Member States shall ensure that beneficiaries of subsidiary protection status have access to activities such as employment-related education opportunities for adults, vocational training and practical workplace experience, under conditions to be decided by the Member States.

      5.   The law in force in the Member States applicable to remuneration, access to social security systems relating to employed or self-employed activities and other conditions of employment shall apply.

      Article 27: Access to education

      1.   Member States shall grant full access to the education system to all minors granted refugee or subsidiary protection status, under the same conditions as nationals.

      2.   Member States shall allow adults granted refugee or subsidiary protection status access to the general education system, further training or retraining, under the same conditions as third country nationals legally resident.

      3.   Member States shall ensure equal treatment between beneficiaries of refugee or subsidiary protection status and nationals in the context of the existing recognition procedures for foreign diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications.

      Article 28: Social welfare

      1.   Member States shall ensure that beneficiaries of refugee or subsidiary protection status receive, in the Member State that has granted such statuses, the necessary social assistance, as provided to nationals of that Member State.

      2.   By exception to the general rule laid down in paragraph 1, Member States may limit social assistance granted to beneficiaries of subsidiary protection status to core benefits which will then be provided at the same levels and under the same eligibility conditions as nationals.

      Article 29: Health care

      1.   Member States shall ensure that beneficiaries of refugee or subsidiary protection status have access to health care under the same eligibility conditions as nationals of the Member State that has granted such statuses.

      2.   By exception to the general rule laid down in paragraph 1, Member States may limit health care granted to beneficiaries of subsidiary protection to core benefits which will then be provided at the same levels and under the same eligibility conditions as nationals.

      3.   Member States shall provide, under the same eligibility conditions as nationals of the Member State that has granted the status, adequate health care to beneficiaries of refugee or subsidiary protection status who have special needs, such as pregnant women, disabled people, persons who have undergone torture, rape or other serious forms of psychological, physical or sexual violence or minors who have been victims of any form of abuse, neglect, exploitation, torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or who have suffered from armed conflict.

    • Directive 2010/13/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 March 2010 on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the provision of audiovisual media services

      Preamble 
      (16) This Directive enhances compliance with fundamental rights and is fully in line with the principles recognised by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (12), in particular Article 11 thereof. In this regard, this Directive should not in any way prevent Member States from applying their constitutional rules relating to freedom of the press and freedom of expression in the media.


      (48) Television broadcasting rights for events of high interest to the public may be acquired by broadcasters on an exclusive basis. However, it is essential to promote pluralism through the diversity of news production and programming across the Union and to respect the principles recognised by Article 11 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.


      (60) Measures taken to protect the physical, mental and moral development of minors and human dignity should be carefully balanced with the fundamental right to freedom of expression as laid down in the Charter on Fundamental Rights of the European Union. The aim of those measures, such as the use of personal identification numbers (PIN codes), filtering systems or labelling, should thus be to ensure an adequate level of protection of the physical, mental and moral development of minors and human dignity, especially with regard to on-demand audiovisual media services. The Recommendation on the protection of minors and human dignity and on the right of reply already recognised the importance of filtering systems and labelling and included a number of possible measures for the benefit of minors, such as systematically supplying users with an effective, updatable and easy-to-use filtering system when they subscribe to an access provider or equipping the access to services specifically intended for children with automatic filtering systems.

    • Regulation (EU) 2017/746 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2017 on in vitro diagnostic medical devices and repealing Directive 98/79/EC and Commission Decision 2010/227/EU

      (68) An electronic system should be set up at Union level to ensure that every interventional clinical performance study and other performance study involving risks for the subjects of the studies is recorded and reported in a publicly accessible database. To protect the right to protection of personal data, recognised by Article 8 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (‘the Charter’), no personal data of subjects participating in a performance study should be recorded in the electronic system. To ensure synergies with the area of clinical trials on medicinal products, the electronic system on performance studies should be interoperable with the EU database to be set up for clinical trials on medicinal products for human use.

      [...]

      Article 1

      Subject matter and scope

      10. Nothing in this Regulation shall restrict the freedom of the press or the freedom of expression in the media in so far as those freedoms are guaranteed in the Union and in the Member States, in particular under Article 11 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

    • Regulation (EU) 2021/784 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2021 on addressing the dissemination of terrorist content online

      Preamble 


      (20) It should be possible for the competent authority of the Member State where the hosting service provider has its main establishment or where its legal representative resides or is established to scrutinise the removal order issued by competent authorities of another Member State to determine whether it seriously or manifestly infringes this Regulation or the fundamental rights enshrined in the Charter. Both the content provider and the hosting service provider should have the right to request such scrutiny by the competent authority in the Member State where the hosting service provider has its main establishment or where its legal representative resides or is established. Where such a request is made, that competent authority should adopt a decision on whether the removal order comprises such an infringement. Where that decision finds such an infringement, the removal order should cease to have legal effects. The scrutiny should be carried out swiftly so as to ensure that erroneously removed or disabled content is reinstated as soon as possible.


      (23) When putting in place specific measures, hosting service providers should ensure that users’ right to freedom of expression and information as well as the freedom and pluralism of the media as protected under the Charter are preserved. In addition to any requirement laid down in the law, including legislation on the protection of personal data, hosting service providers should act with due diligence and implement safeguards, where appropriate, including human oversight and verifications, to avoid any unintended or erroneous decision leading to the removal of or disabling of access to content that is not terrorist content.

      Article 1: Subject matter and scope

      1. This Regulation lays down uniform rules to address the misuse of hosting services for the dissemination to the public of terrorist content online, in particular on:

      (a) reasonable and proportionate duties of care to be applied by hosting service providers in order to address the dissemination to the public of terrorist content through their services and ensure, where necessary, the expeditious removal of or disabling of access to such content;

      (b) the measures to be put in place by Member States, in accordance with Union law and subject to suitable safeguards to protect fundamental rights, in particular the freedom of expression and information in an open and democratic society, in order to:

      (i) identify and ensure the expeditious removal of terrorist content by hosting service providers; and

      (ii) facilitate cooperation among the competent authorities of Member States, hosting service providers and, where appropriate, Europol.

      2. This Regulation applies to hosting service providers offering services in the Union, irrespective of their place of main establishment, insofar as they disseminate information to the public.

      3. Material disseminated to the public for educational, journalistic, artistic or research purposes or for the purposes of preventing or countering terrorism, including material which represents an expression of polemic or controversial views in the course of public debate, shall not be considered to be terrorist content. An assessment shall determine the true purpose of that dissemination and whether material is disseminated to the public for those purposes.

      4. This Regulation shall not have the effect of modifying the obligation to respect the rights, freedoms and principles referred to in Article 6 TEU and shall apply without prejudice to fundamental principles relating to freedom of expression and information, including freedom and pluralism of the media.

      5. This Regulation shall be without prejudice to Directives 2000/31/EC and 2010/13/EU. For audiovisual media services as defined in point (a) of Article 1(1) of Directive 2010/13/EU, Directive 2010/13/EU shall prevail.

      Article 4: Procedure for cross-borders removal orders 

      3.   The competent authority of the Member State where the hosting service provider has its main establishment or where its legal representative resides or is established may, on its own initiative, within 72 hours of receiving the copy of the removal order in accordance with paragraph 1, scrutinise the removal order to determine whether it seriously or manifestly infringes this Regulation or the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Charter.

      Where it finds an infringement, it shall, within the same period, adopt a reasoned decision to that effect. 

    • Protocol (No 29) on the system of public broadcasting in the Member States

      THE HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES,

      CONSIDERING that the system of public broadcasting in the Member States is directly related to the democratic, social and cultural needs of each society and to the need to preserve media pluralism,

      HAVE AGREED UPON the following interpretive provisions, which shall be annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union:

      The provisions of the Treaties shall be without prejudice to the competence of Member States to provide for the funding of public service broadcasting and in so far as such funding is granted to broadcasting organisations for the fulfilment of the public service remit as conferred, defined and organised by each Member State, and in so far as such funding does not affect trading conditions and competition in the Union to an extent which would be contrary to the common interest, while the realisation of the remit of that public service shall be taken into account.

    • Directive (EU) 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2019 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law

      Article 1

      Purpose

      The purpose of this Directive is to enhance the enforcement of Union law and policies in specific areas by laying down common minimum standards providing for a high level of protection of persons reporting breaches of Union law.

    8 results found

    • Council of Europe Recommendation CM/Rec(2015)6 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the free, transboundary flow of information on the Internet

      ‘1.1. States have an obligation to guarantee to everyone within their jurisdiction the right to freedom of expression and the right to freedom of assembly and association, in full compliance with Articles 10 and 11 of the ECHR, which apply equally to the Internet. These rights and freedoms must be guaranteed without discrimination on any ground such as gender, sexual orientation, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status.‘
      ‘1.2. States should protect and promote the global free flow of information on the Internet. They should ensure that interferences with Internet traffic within their territory pursue the legitimate aims set out in Article 10 of the ECHR and other relevant international agreements and do not have an unnecessary or disproportionate impact on the transboundary flow of information on the Internet.‘

    • Human Rights Committee, General comment No. 34 (2011) - Article 19 Freedoms of opinion and expression

      ‘Freedom of opinion
      9. Paragraph 1 of article 19 requires protection of the right to hold opinions without interference. This is a right to which the Covenant permits no exception or restriction. Freedom of opinion extends to the right to change an opinion whenever and for whatever reason a person so freely chooses. No person may be subject to the impairment of any rights under the Covenant on the basis of his or her actual, perceived or supposed opinions. All forms of opinion are protected, including opinions of a political, scientific, historic, moral or religious nature. It is incompatible with paragraph 1 to criminalize the holding of an opinion. The harassment, intimidation or stigmatization of a person, including arrest, detention, trial or imprisonment for reasons of the opinions they may hold, constitutes a violation of article 19, paragraph 1.
      10. Any form of effort to coerce the holding or not holding of any opinion is prohibited. Freedom to express one’s opinion necessarily includes freedom not to express one’s opinion.
      Freedom of expression
      11. Paragraph 2 requires States parties to guarantee the right to freedom of expression, including the right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds regardless of frontiers. This right includes the expression and receipt of communications of every form of idea and opinion capable of transmission to others, subject to the provisions in article 19, paragraph 3, and article 20. It includes political discourse, commentary on one’s own and on public affairs, canvassing, discussion of human rights, journalism, cultural and artistic expression, teaching, and religious discourse. It may also include commercial advertising. The scope of paragraph 2 embraces even expression that may be regarded as deeply offensive, 22 although such expression may be restricted in accordance with the provisions of article 19, paragraph 3 and article 20.
      12. Paragraph 2 protects all forms of expression and the means of their dissemination. Such forms include spoken, written and sign language and such non-verbal expression as images and objects of art. Means of expression include books, newspapers, pamphlets, posters, banners, dress and legal submissions. They include all forms of audio-visual as well as electronic and internet-based modes of expression.‘

    • Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)1 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on protecting and promoting the right to freedom of expression and the right to private life with regard to network neutrality

      ‘1.1. Internet users have the right to freedom of expression, including the right to receive and impart information, by using services, applications and devices of their choice, in full compliance with Article 10 of the Convention. These rights must be enjoyed without discrimination on any ground such as gender, sexual orientation, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status.‘
      ‘1.2. Internet users’ right to receive and impart information should not be restricted by means of blocking, slowing down, degrading or discriminating Internet traffic associated with particular content, services, applications or devices, or traffic associated with services provided on the basis of exclusive arrangements or tariffs.‘
      ‘1.3. Internet users should be entitled to an Internet connection with the characteristics defined in the contractual agreements that they have concluded with Internet access service providers on the basis of specific and adequate information that is provided to users with regard to all aspects which might affect their access to the Internet and their right to receive and impart information.‘

    • Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)4 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the protection of journalism and safety of journalists and other media actors

      ‘2. The right to freedom of expression and information, as guaranteed by Article 10 of the Convention, constitutes one of the essential foundations of a democratic society and one of the basic conditions for its progress and the development of every individual. Freedom of expression is applicable not only to “information” or “ideas” that are favourably received or regarded as inoffensive or as a matter of indifference, but also to those that offend, shock or disturb the State or any sector of the population. In this way, freedom of expression facilitates robust public debate, which is another prerequisite of a democratic society characterised by pluralism, tolerance and broadmindedness. Any interference with the right to freedom of expression of journalists and other media actors therefore has societal repercussions as it is also an interference with the right of others to receive information and ideas and an interference with public debate.‘
      ‘3. The exercise of the right to freedom of expression carries with it duties and responsibilities, as stated in Article 10, paragraph 2. In the context of journalism, relevant duties and responsibilities are understood as including acting in good faith in order to provide accurate and reliable information, in accordance with the ethics of journalism.‘
      ‘5. Moreover, some types of hate speech which incite violence or hatred fall under Article 17 of the Convention (prohibition of abuse of rights) and are therefore not afforded protection because their aim is to destroy some of the rights and freedoms set forth in the Convention.‘
      ‘6. All human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated and there is important interplay between the right to freedom of expression and other human rights, such as the rights to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, the right to freedom of assembly and association and the right to vote in free and fair elections.‘

    • UN General Assembly resolution 71/199 (2017) - The right to privacy in the digital age

      ‘Recalling that the right to privacy is important for the exercise of freedom of expression, including the right to seek, receive and impart information, and contributes to the development of an individual’s ability to participate in political, economic, social and cultural life and that digital technology has a considerable impact on the enjoyment of these rights, ‘
      ‘Noting that, while metadata can provide benefits, certain types of metadata, when aggregated, can reveal personal information and can give an insightinto an individual’s behaviour, social relationships, private preferences and identity‘
      ‘Emphasizing that unlawful or arbitrary surveillance and/or interception of communications, as well as the unlawful or arbitrary collection of personal data, as highly intrusive acts, violate the right to privacy, can interfere with the right to freedom of expression and may contradict the tenets of a democratic society, including when undertaken on a mass scale‘

    • UN Human Rights Council Resolution 23/2 (2013) - The role of freedom of opinion and expression in women’s empowerment

      ‘Acknowledging the important role of women journalists and women human rights defenders in the exercise, promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression and, in this context, expressing concern at the risks faced by these women in the exercise of their work, ‘
      ‘Affirms the fundamental role that freedom of opinion and expression plays in the ability of women to interact with society at large, in particular in the realms of economic and political participation, and reaffirmsthat the active participation of women, on equal terms with men, at all levels of decision-making, is essential to the achievement of equality, sustainable development, peace and democracy;‘

    • UN Human Rights Council Resolution 26/13 (2014) - The promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet

      ‘Noting also the importance of building confidence and trust in the Internet, not least with regard to freedom of expression, privacy and other human rights so that the potential of the Internet as, inter alia, an enabler for development and innovation can be realized, ‘
      ‘Affirms that 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, in accordance with articles 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; ‘

    • UN Human Rights Council Resolution 33/2 (2016) - The safety of journalists

      ‘Recognizing the crucial role of journalists and media workers in the context of elections, including to inform the public about candidates, their platforms and ongoing debates, and expressing serious concern that attacks against journalists and media workers increase during periods of elections, ‘
      ‘Bearing in mind that impunity for attacks and violence against journalists constitutes one of the greatest challenges to the safety of journalists, and that ensuring accountability for crimes committed against journalists is a key element in preventing future attacks ‘