OpenLobby.EU
Explore

Bundesverband Digitalpublisher und Zeitungsverleger

BDZV

The BDZV represents the interests of newspaper and digital publishers in Germany.

Lobbying Activity

German publishers demand medium-neutrality and stricter platform advertising rules

19 Dec 2025
Topic — This consultation reviews rules for audiovisual media services to ensure they remain effective.
Message — The groups argue that visibility rules must treat digital press exactly like audiovisual content. They also state that the press sector should remain outside the directive's direct scope. Finally, they propose extending advertising restrictions to dominant digital platforms.12
Why — These changes would ensure press content is prioritized online while protecting its advertising revenue.3
Impact — Large digital platforms would face new restrictions on their core advertising business models.45
Read full response

German publishers urge EU to reject centralized consent management

14 Oct 2025
Topic — The EU is consulting on a digital omnibus to simplify regulations and reduce administrative burdens.
Message — Publishers strongly oppose centralized consent management, arguing it threatens their financial survival and press pluralism. They advocate for exemptions for low-risk data uses like audience measurement and insist on maintaining AI copyright rules.123
Why — This would protect essential advertising revenue and ensure the financial viability of digital publishing operations.4
Impact — Centralized consent would entrench the market dominance of large digital gatekeepers over independent press publishers.5
Read full response

Meeting with Alexandra Geese (Member of the European Parliament)

30 Sept 2025 · Tech policies

Meeting with Henna Virkkunen (Executive Vice-President) and

22 Sept 2025 · Digital Markets Act enforcement

Meeting with Marie-Helene Boulanger (Head of Unit Justice and Consumers) and EBU-UER (European Broadcasting Union) and

22 May 2025 · Consultation of media representatives and associations in the context of the preparation of the upcoming European Democracy Shield (“focus group”).

Meeting with Marion Walsmann (Member of the European Parliament)

20 May 2025 · Freedom of speech and freedom of the press

Meeting with Maria Zafra Saura (Cabinet of Commissioner Michael McGrath) and Medienverband der freien Presse e.V.

3 Apr 2025 · Data protection, ‘consent or pay’ models, simplification

Meeting with Moritz Körner (Member of the European Parliament)

27 Mar 2025 · Introductory Meeting

Meeting with Axel Voss (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

27 Mar 2025 · Copyright and generative AI

Meeting with Helmut Brandstätter (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Medienverband der freien Presse e.V.

19 Mar 2025 · Exchange of Views

Meeting with Axel Voss (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

11 Mar 2025 · Copyright and generative AI

Meeting with Marco Giorello (Head of Unit Communications Networks, Content and Technology) and EuroCommerce and

6 Mar 2025 · Code of Conduct on Online Advertising – Workshop 2

Meeting with Marco Giorello (Head of Unit Communications Networks, Content and Technology) and EuroCommerce and

4 Mar 2025 · Code of Conduct on Online Advertising – Workshop 1

Meeting with Manuela Ripa (Member of the European Parliament) and Axel Springer SE

3 Mar 2025 · Media Policy

Meeting with Svenja Hahn (Member of the European Parliament) and Verband der Automobilindustrie and

24 Jan 2025 · Exchange on Green Claims

Meeting with Marion Walsmann (Member of the European Parliament) and Medienverband der freien Presse e.V.

21 Jan 2025 · Europäische Medien- und Digitalpolitik

Meeting with Sabrina Repp (Member of the European Parliament)

25 Sept 2024 · European media legislation

Meeting with Birgit Sippel (Member of the European Parliament) and Medienverband der freien Presse e.V.

25 Sept 2024 · Upcoming media + digital policies

Meeting with Věra Jourová (Vice-President)

12 May 2023 · European Media Freedom act

German publishers oppose graphic chemical hazard warnings in advertisements

29 Mar 2023
Topic — The European Commission is revising rules for classifying, labeling, and packaging chemical products.
Message — The associations reject mandatory graphic pictograms in advertisements for hazardous chemicals. They argue that overburdening ads with mandatory information disproportionately threatens the financial stability of the free press.12
Why — Maintaining advertising appeal protects essential revenue streams for financing independent digital and print journalism.34
Impact — Consumers would lack prominent visual alerts about chemical risks when viewing media advertisements.5
Read full response

Meeting with Katarina Barley (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Deutscher Anwaltverein (German Bar Association) and

16 Feb 2023 · Austausch zum Vorhaben

Meeting with Daniel Freund (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur for opinion) and European Newspaper Publishers' Association and

7 Feb 2023 · European Media Freedom Act (staff-level)

Meeting with Axel Voss (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Medienverband der freien Presse e.V.

16 Sept 2022 · AI Act

Meeting with Agnieszka Skonieczna (Cabinet of Commissioner Thierry Breton)

23 Jun 2022 · Media Freedom Act

German publishers reject proposed EU Media Freedom Act regulation

23 Mar 2022
Topic — The European Commission seeks to harmonize rules for media freedom and pluralism.
Message — The BDZV rejects any EU press regulation beyond current directives. They argue the EU lacks legal competence for general media law. They prefer better protections against platform censorship within digital regulations.123
Why — Publishers preserve their total editorial authority and avoid interference from regulators.4
Impact — Editorial staff lose legal independence because owners retain complete control over content.5
Read full response

German publishers warn EU disinformation rules threaten press freedom

29 Apr 2021
Topic — The Commission seeks guidance to update the voluntary Code of Practice on Disinformation.
Message — The association opposes turning the voluntary code into co-regulation targeting legal content. They argue that the only effective solution is providing more truthful information rather than state restrictions.12
Why — This protects publishers from arbitrary downranking and maintains their editorial independence from political interference.3
Impact — Citizens lose the ability to freely judge the quality and relevance of information for themselves.4
Read full response

Meeting with Thierry Breton (Commissioner) and

25 Nov 2020 · Media Action Plan and DMA

Meeting with Filomena Chirico (Cabinet of Commissioner Thierry Breton) and European Magazine Media Association and

6 Oct 2020 · DSA

Response to Review of energy labelling for residential ventilation units

28 Apr 2020

Anbei finden Sie die BDZV/VDZ Kurzstellungnahme
Read full response

Meeting with Antoine Kasel (Cabinet of President Jean-Claude Juncker) and European Magazine Media Association and

31 Jan 2018 · The VAT for digital publications

Meeting with Nele Eichhorn (Cabinet of Vice-President Cecilia Malmström) and European Magazine Media Association

31 Aug 2016 · copyright reform

Meeting with Marlene Holzner (Digital Economy), Michael Hager (Digital Economy) and European Magazine Media Association

18 May 2016 · copyright, AVMSD

Meeting with Anna Herold (Digital Economy)

19 Jan 2016 · copyright

Meeting with Szabolcs Horvath (Cabinet of Commissioner Tibor Navracsics) and European Magazine Media Association and European Newspaper Publishers' Association

2 Dec 2015 · Digital Single Market

Meeting with Günther Oettinger (Commissioner)

7 May 2015 · DSM

Meeting with Martin Selmayr (Cabinet of President Jean-Claude Juncker)

6 May 2015 · President Juncker's speech on free and independent press in Europe

Meeting with Jean-Claude Juncker (President)

6 May 2015 · Speech on free and independent press in Europe