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Deutsche Welle

DW

Deutsche Welle is Germany's international broadcaster providing journalism in 32 languages worldwide.

Lobbying Activity

Deutsche Welle demands journalism be recognized as critical infrastructure

28 Nov 2025
Topic — This consultation addresses future funding for European Union external action and development programs.
Message — The organization calls for journalism to be recognized as critical infrastructure. They request dedicated funding for public-interest media and stronger safeguards against media capture.123
Why — This would secure long-term funding and institutional support for their global media development initiatives.4
Impact — Adversarial actors lose influence as the EU seeks to counter foreign information manipulation.5
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Response to EU’s next long-term budget (MFF) – EU funding for cross-border education, training and solidarity, youth, media, culture, and creative sectors, values, and civil society

25 Nov 2025

Please find attached the full text of our submission on the AgoraEU programme, prepared jointly by the EU Media Advocacy Group. The document sets out our collective recommendations to ensure that AgoraEU delivers long-term, scalable, and systemic support for journalism and the wider public-interest information ecosystem. In line with the OECD Principles for Effective Support to Media, we call for dedicated multi-annual and core funding for independent, investigative, local, community, and cross-border media; robust editorial-independence safeguards; investment in public-interest digital infrastructure; and financial instruments that catalyse private capital without undermining editorial autonomy. The submission also emphasises the need to strengthen media literacy as a cross-cutting resilience pillar, with targeted support for underserved communities, innovative audience-engagement tools, and AI-supported verification. We highlight the importance of dedicated funding for journalistic safety, including legal and digital protection, emergency relocation, psychosocial support, and anti-SLAPP enforcement, and call for sustained support for fact-checking organisations. The full submission with detailed recommendations is attached in pdf format for your consideration.
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Meeting with Pascal Arimont (Member of the European Parliament)

13 Nov 2025 · Background Breakfast on democratic resilience

Meeting with Hannes Heide (Member of the European Parliament)

13 Nov 2025 · Breakfast debate

Meeting with Peter Wagner (Director Foreign Policy Instruments)

12 Nov 2025 · Discussed the role of European Public Service Broadcasters in safeguarding independent journalism beyond the EU borders.

Meeting with Tiemo Wölken (Member of the European Parliament)

24 Sept 2025 · Future of pilot project ENTR

Meeting with Jens Geier (Member of the European Parliament)

24 Sept 2025 · EU-Haushalt und Probleme in der Medienförderung

Meeting with Henna Virkkunen (Executive Vice-President) and

23 Jul 2025 · Exchange of views on Media and the Democracy Shield

Meeting with Charlotte Adriaen (Head of Unit Directorate-General for International Partnerships)

4 Jul 2025 · Discussion with DW Akademie and an Afghan exile media outlet on the current environment for media reporting from Afghanistan and the region.

Meeting with Sabine Verheyen (Member of the European Parliament)

30 Jun 2025 · Media Policy

Meeting with Isabel Wiseler-Lima (Member of the European Parliament)

25 Jun 2025 · From Freeze to Silence: How U.S. policy threatens free media

Meeting with Peter Wagner (Director Foreign Policy Instruments)

10 Jun 2025 · Participants discussed the situation of European International Broadcasters such as DW In relation to the defunding of RFE by the current US Administration

Meeting with Diana Riba I Giner (Member of the European Parliament) and EBU-UER (European Broadcasting Union) and

14 May 2025 · Broadcasting, press and media in the EU

Meeting with Nela Riehl (Member of the European Parliament, Committee chair) and EBU-UER (European Broadcasting Union) and

14 May 2025 · Stakeholder Roundtable:The Future of European Broadcasting, Press and Media: How to create a common European Media Space?

Meeting with Erik Marquardt (Member of the European Parliament) and EBU-UER (European Broadcasting Union) and

14 May 2025 · Stakeholder Roundtable: Broadcasting, Press and Media in the EU

Meeting with Nathalie Loiseau (Member of the European Parliament, Committee chair)

24 Apr 2025 · Lutte contre la désinformation

Meeting with Peter Wagner (Director Foreign Policy Instruments)

23 Apr 2025 · Discussion on potential avenues of supporting independent media and circumvention technology following USAGM and USAID cuts

Meeting with Sabine Verheyen (Member of the European Parliament)

10 Apr 2025 · Media Policy

Meeting with Helmut Brandstätter (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

1 Apr 2025 · Exchange of Views

Meeting with Chiara Adamo (Head of Unit Directorate-General for International Partnerships)

27 Mar 2025 · Exchange of views on support to independent media worldwide

Meeting with Karolina Kottova (Cabinet of Commissioner Marta Kos), Veerle Nuyts (Cabinet of Commissioner Marta Kos)

4 Mar 2025 · Exchange on media pluralism and combating disinformation in enlargement countries

Meeting with Isabel Wiseler-Lima (Member of the European Parliament)

4 Mar 2025 · DROI mission to Kyrgyzstan

Meeting with Reinier Van Lanschot (Member of the European Parliament)

20 Feb 2025 · Free and open internet in a more autocratic world

Meeting with Hannes Heide (Member of the European Parliament)

12 Feb 2025 · General exchange of views

Meeting with Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (Member of the European Parliament) and Vodafone GmbH

10 Dec 2024 · Exchange about communication security related topics

Meeting with Marie Frenay (Cabinet of Vice-President Věra Jourová)

24 Oct 2024 · Internet freedom

Meeting with Lucia Yar (Member of the European Parliament)

17 Oct 2024 · Protecting journalists and media from political or economic interference

Meeting with Loránt Vincze (Member of the European Parliament)

16 Oct 2024 · Interview on national and linguistic minorities

Meeting with Sergey Lagodinsky (Member of the European Parliament)

24 Apr 2024 · Freedom of Information

Meeting with Věra Jourová (Vice-President) and

17 Apr 2024 · Circumvention of censorship

Meeting with Sergey Lagodinsky (Member of the European Parliament)

10 Apr 2024 · Freedom of Information

Meeting with Isabel Wiseler-Lima (Member of the European Parliament)

13 Feb 2024 · Kampf gegen Desinformation und zum Schutz von Journalistinnen und Journalisten

Meeting with Sergey Lagodinsky (Member of the European Parliament)

24 Jan 2024 · Projects to Fight Disinformation

Meeting with Hildegard Bentele (Member of the European Parliament) and Transtele Canal France international

23 Jan 2024 · Busting disinformation in the Global South

Meeting with Janina Ochojska (Member of the European Parliament)

23 Jan 2024 · Lunch discussion: Busting disinformation in the Global South. Empowering civil society in the Sahel and Central America through media development

Meeting with Monika Hohlmeier (Member of the European Parliament)

22 Jan 2024 · EU Budget 2025 - PPPA

Meeting with Věra Jourová (Vice-President)

25 Oct 2023 · European Media Freedom Act

Meeting with Marie Frenay (Cabinet of Vice-President Věra Jourová)

27 Jul 2023 · European Media Freedom Act

Meeting with Viola Von Cramon-Taubadel (Member of the European Parliament)

30 Mar 2023 · Desinformation and Foreign Interference

Meeting with Eleonora Ocello (Cabinet of Commissioner Thierry Breton)

30 Mar 2023 · Media policy

Meeting with Karsten Lucke (Member of the European Parliament)

29 Mar 2023 · Medien/Journalismus in Entwicklungsländern

Meeting with Marie Frenay (Cabinet of Vice-President Věra Jourová)

28 Mar 2023 · Media related issues

Meeting with Věra Jourová (Vice-President)

26 Jan 2023 · European Media Freedom Act, freedom & plurality

Meeting with Katarina Barley (Member of the European Parliament)

11 Jan 2023 · Exchange of Views

Meeting with Alexandra Geese (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Bitkom e.V. and VAUNET - Verband Privater Medien e. V.

16 Nov 2022 · Event: The importance of advertising for media freedom

Meeting with Věra Jourová (Vice-President)

26 Oct 2022 · European Media Freedom Act

Meeting with Věra Jourová (Vice-President)

20 Jun 2022 · Global Media Forum, MFA

Meeting with Dietmar Köster (Member of the European Parliament)

14 Jun 2022 · Situation of the free press in Iran

Meeting with Viola Von Cramon-Taubadel (Member of the European Parliament)

28 Apr 2022 · Desinformation and protection of democracy

Meeting with Marie Frenay (Cabinet of Vice-President Věra Jourová)

24 Mar 2022 · Media freedom Act

Response to European Media Freedom Act

21 Mar 2022

Deutsche Welle (DW), Germany’s international broadcaster, fully supports the stated objectives of the upcoming Media Freedom Act (MFA) to protect and strengthen media freedom, media independence, and media pluralism in the EU. DW recognizes the need for greater harmonization of media policy in the EU’s internal market, complementing existing but insufficient regulations. Barriers and lacking incentives to enhance media cooperation across borders of EU member states hinder the emergence of a European media sphere. Lacking safeguards to media independence and to media pluralism within the EU lead to vulnerability towards both domestic and foreign interference to freedom of the media. Addressing these challenges should however not impede existing frameworks on member state level that already function well, either by adopting best practices in new EU legislation, or by preserving adequate flexibility for member states. Special attention could be given to counter filter bubbles, as well as mis- and disinformation, by boosting the accessibility of a plurality of media sources for consumers with the MFA. Reporting by independent and responsible journalism cemented in the mandate of well-functioning Public Service Media is instrumental to this aim also. The separation of the mandate and the financing of public broadcasting is crucial. The governing bodies of Public Service Media should represent governments and civil society groups equally, so that no single political party or group may exert control over a Public Service Media organization. Please find attached a study on the value of Public Service Media for Democracy in Europe published by the European Broadcasting Union. The MFA could also provide for expanded regulations supporting media freedom and media pluralism in the platform economy, since these goals may not be sufficiently covered in the Digital Services Act. DW operates around the world, providing reliable information in 32 languages, with a special focus on environments in which media freedom is restricted and threatened. DW’s editorial independence itself is enshrined in the Deutsche Welle Act of the German Bundestag and ensured by its governing body, the Broadcasting Council. We consider public broadcasting existing alongside a healthy private media sector in Germany a best practice in enabling independent journalism with public funding. With this background, DW aims for active and constructive participation in the debate on the Media Freedom Act.
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Meeting with Agnieszka Skonieczna (Cabinet of Commissioner Thierry Breton)

9 Feb 2022 · Audiovisual and Media policy; youth

Meeting with Věra Jourová (Vice-President)

13 Jan 2022 · DSA, EMFA

Meeting with Pauline Rouch (Cabinet of Commissioner Mariya Gabriel)

13 Jan 2022 · European Year of Youth 2022

Meeting with Věra Jourová (Vice-President)

17 Nov 2021 · Digital services act - disinformation - political advertising

Meeting with Marie Frenay (Cabinet of Vice-President Věra Jourová)

15 Nov 2021 · Media Law

Meeting with Věra Jourová (Vice-President)

14 Jun 2021 · Social media and journalism

Meeting with Christina Holm Eiberg (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager), Werner Stengg (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager)

18 Mar 2021 · Presenting pilot project "ENTR - what’s next".

Meeting with Marie Frenay (Cabinet of Vice-President Věra Jourová)

22 Feb 2021 · Media freedom

Meeting with Marie Frenay (Cabinet of Vice-President Věra Jourová)

15 Jan 2021 · tackling disinformation and the ‘ENTR’ project, platforms’ accountability and regulation, citizens engaging and making informed decisions, Conference on the Future of Europe, media funding

Meeting with Věra Jourová (Vice-President)

14 Dec 2020 · MAAP, EDAP

Meeting with Maximilian Strotmann (Cabinet of Vice-President Andrus Ansip), Tauno Tohk (Cabinet of Vice-President Andrus Ansip)

27 Mar 2019 · Media policy

Meeting with Manuel Mateo Goyet (Cabinet of Commissioner Mariya Gabriel)

20 Mar 2019 · Media Policy

Meeting with Andrus Ansip (Vice-President) and

20 Nov 2018 · Media policy, disinformation, Digital4Development

Meeting with Manuel Mateo Goyet (Cabinet of Commissioner Mariya Gabriel)

7 Nov 2018 · Media Policy

Meeting with Maximilian Strotmann (Cabinet of Vice-President Andrus Ansip)

10 Jul 2018 · Media, DSM

Meeting with Marlene Holzner (Cabinet of Vice-President Günther Oettinger)

19 Jun 2018 · broadcasting European affairs

Meeting with Mariya Gabriel (Commissioner)

11 Jun 2018 · Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum

Meeting with Günther Oettinger (Commissioner)

4 Jun 2018 · Euronews

Meeting with Hanna Hinrikus (Cabinet of Vice-President Andrus Ansip), Maximilian Strotmann (Cabinet of Vice-President Andrus Ansip)

12 Dec 2017 · Media, development

Meeting with Günther Oettinger (Commissioner)

8 Nov 2017 · digital innovation