Activity Details (ID# 14076)

Activity Synopsis

To examine and adopt:

- a reply to the Committee of Ministers concerning the alignment of the laws on defamation in Council of Europe member States with the relevant case-law of the European Court of Human Rights, addressing also the issue of decriminalisation of defamation

- a draft declaration on the implementation by member states of Recommendation No. R (96) 10 of the Committee of Ministers on the guarantee of the independence of public service broadcasting, containing an overview of the situation in member states

- a draft Recommendation on empowering children in the new information and communications environment.

To examine a number of other issues such as copyright in the context of its work, Internet governance and ways in which the Council of Europe might actively contribute to the follow-up to the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), the work being carried out by other Council of Europe bodies including the Standing Committee on Transfrontier Television, and its possible contribution to the ''White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue''.

To continue to consider its working methods and in particular to examine the impact on its work of its new terms of reference adopted by the CM on 15 February 2006 and of Resolution (2005) 47 on committees and subordinate bodies, their terms of reference and working methods.

To hold an exchange of views with the Chairpersons of its groups of specialists to take stock of progress being made in the fulfilment of their respective terms of reference and provide further guidance where necessary.

To examine a request by the non-governmental organisation Article 19 to be granted observer status with the CDMC and two of its groups of specialists (the MC-S-IC and the MC-S-PSB). 

The CDMC adopted and transmitted to the Committee of Ministers a reply concerning the alignment of the laws on defamation with the relevant case-law of the European Court of Human Rights addressing also the issue of decriminalisation of defamation.

The CDMC decided to transmit to the Committee of Ministers for consideration and possible adoption a draft Declaration concerning the implementation by member States of Recommendation No. R (96) 10 of the Committee of Ministers on the guarantee of the independence of public service broadcasting.

The CDMC decided to transmit it to the Committee of Ministers for consideration and possible adoption a draft Recommendation on empowering children in the new information and communications environment.

The CDMC decided that, to provide a comprehensive response to the Committee of Ministers on the issue of media pluralism vis-à-vis media concentration in the context of the follow-up to the monitoring procedure of the Committee of Ministers on freedom of expression and information, an additional document, which could take the form of a draft political declaration, would be prepared.

The CDMC decided to prepare a response with regard to the Ministers Deputies' Guidelines on the drawing up of the ''White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue''.
The CDMC held an exchange of views with the Chairpersons of its groups of specialists to take stock of progress being made in the fulfilment of their respective terms of reference (which flow directly from the Action Plan adopted during the 7th Ministerial Conference on Mass Media Policy as confirmed by the Warsaw Summit Action Plan) and provide guidance to them.

The CDMC took note of progress in the preparation of the 2006 European Forum on Human Rights in the Information Society which will take place in Yerevan on 5 and 6 October 2006. The CDMC also pursued discussions on the question of Internet governance, supporting the preparation by the Secretariat of a human rights centred submission to the IGF. It considered ways in which the Council of Europe might actively contribute to the follow-up to the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).

The CDMC took note of its new terms of reference adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 15 February 2006 and of Resolution (2005) 47 on committees and subordinate bodies, their terms of reference and working methods.

In the context of discussions on monitoring the implementation of non-binding instruments, and having regard to Recommendation (2000) 23, the CDMC asked the Secretariat to collect information on situations giving rise to concerns as regards the independence and functioning of regulatory authorities in the broadcasting field. The information gathered by the Secretariat would be examined at the next meeting of the CDMC.

The CDMC decided to grant observer status to the non-governmental organisation Article 19 with the CDMC and two of its subordinate groups (MC-S-IC and MC-S-PSB).

 

The reply to the Committee of Ministers concerning the alignment of the laws on defamation with the relevant case-law of the European Court of Human Rights, including the issue of decriminalisation of defamation will be considered by the Committee of Ministers in the autumn 2006. The CDMC suggested that other intergovernmental cooperation bodies could be consulted on the subject and indicated that it is prepared to explore the matter further, having regard to any additional instructions which the CM might give.

The draft Declaration concerning the implementation by member States of Recommendation No. R (96) 10 of the Committee of Ministers on the guarantee of the independence of public service broadcasting will be considered for possible adoption by the Committee of Ministers in the autumn 2006.

The draft Recommendation on empowering children in the new information and communications environment will be considered for possible adoption by the Committee of Ministers in the autumn 2006.

In the framework of the follow-up to the monitoring procedure of the Committee of Ministers on freedom of expression and information, a document will be prepared looking at the risks to democracy or to democratic processes that might result from media concentration to an extent that could give media groups the power to separately or jointly set the agenda of public debate or shape public opinion. This document will be considered by the CDMC at its 4th meeting.

In response to the Ministers Deputies' Guidelines on the drawing up of the ''White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue'', the Secretariat will prepare a list of adopted standards within the CDMC's area of work that relate to the themes and circulate it to members of the CDMC and of its subordinate groups of specialists who would be asked to provide concrete and practical suggestions as to the ways and means of acting upon those standards. The CDMC will consider the suggestions and its contribution to the drafting of the White Paper at its next meeting.

Following a request by the CDMC, its groups of specialists will consider their future work and make proposals to the Steering Committee which will examine their terms of reference during its next meeting with a view to deciding whether they should be be renewed, revised or extended to include new tasks.

The CDMC will resume examination of a number of other issues such as copyright in the context of its work, the work being carried out by the Standing Committee on Transfrontier Television, as well as work being carried out by other Council of Europe bodies

In the context of the follow-up to the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) (i) the Secretariat will prepare and circulate to the CDMC an information document on the WSIS/IGF process, and (ii) the MC-S-IS to take steps to contribute to the implementation of the action lines, which are being facilitated and moderated by UNESCO.

In compliance with its new terms of reference adopted by the CM on 15 February 2006 and of Resolution (2005) 47 on committees and subordinate bodies, their terms of reference and working methods, the following items will systematically be included on the CDMC agenda: the follow-up to the monitoring procedure of the Committee of Ministers; the implementation of non-binding instruments prepared under the authority of the CDMC; cooperation and exchanges with other countries and organisations, in particular neighbouring regions of Europe (once a year); information on targeted technical assistance and cooperation in the media field and administrative and budgetary matters.

In the follow up to discussions on monitoring the implementation of non-binding instruments, and having regard to Recommendation (2000) 23, the Secretariat will collect information on situations giving rise to concerns as regards the independence and functioning of regulatory authorities in the broadcasting field. The information gathered by the Secretariat will be examined at the next meeting of the CDMC.
 

Member States and Observers to the CDMC 

Mr Hanno HARTIG, Head of Media, Equality and Minorities Department, DG II
Mr Jan MALINOWSKI, Head of Media Division, Secretary of the CDMC, DG II
Ms Charlotte de BROUTELLES, Administrative Officer, Secretary of the MM-S-MD, DGII
Mr Eugen CIBOTARU, Administrative Officer, Secretary of the MM-S-PSB, DGII
Mr Lee HIBBARD, Administrative Officer, Secretary of the MM-S-IS, DGII
Mr Ivan NIKOLTCHEV, Media Division, Secretary of the MM-S-IC, DG II
Ms Alessia SONAGLIONI, Media Division, Secretary of the T-TT, DG II
Mr Pall THORHALLSSON, Media Division, DG II
Ms Katherine ANDERSON, Media Division, DG II
Ms Franziska KLOPFER, Media Division, DGII