In brief, the complexity created by a patchwork of different national rules and the fact that in each country the media market and/or the public service media are coming under increasing political pressure discourages companies from entering new markets, in particular where subjects holding shares in a media undertaking also play a significant role in the political arena. This justifies the full competence of the Union to take action through an approximation of national laws (arts. 26, 50 and 114 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union). As a general rule, in shaping these new provisions, the Union is required to uphold the highest protection to fundamental rights as guaranteed by the EU legal order, in particular the freedom of information as enshrined in Article 11 of the Charter.
For the above-mentioned reasons, the signatories of this initiative believe that the harmonisation of rules on pro%C
Tag Archives: petition
In brief, the complexity created by a patchwork of different national rules and the fact that in each country the media market and/or the public service media are coming under increasing political pressure discourages companies from entering new markets, in particular where subjects holding shares in a media undertaking also play a significant role in the political arena. This justifies the full competence of the Union to take action through an approximation of national laws (arts. 26, 50 and 114 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union). As a general rule, in shaping these new provisions, the Union is required to uphold the highest protection to fundamental rights as guaranteed by the EU legal order, in particular the freedom of information as enshrined in Article 11 of the Charter.
For the above-mentioned reasons, the signatories of this initiative believe that the harmonisation of rules on pro%C
Action: Join Auster and Rushdie in calling for release of Chinese writer Liu Xiaobo
[Cross-posted from the WITNESS Hub Blog.]
Our friends at PEN tell us that there’s still time for you to join Ian McEwan, Salman Rushdie, Paul Auster and many others in putting your name to a petition to free Chinese writer and critic Liu Xiaobo – recipient of this year’s PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom To Write Award. Liu – speaking in the video below – is a leading proponent for freedom of expression in China, and was arrested on December 8th last year “on suspicion of ‘inciting subversion of state power’ after co-authoring Charter 08, a declaration initially signed by over 300 individuals that outlines political reforms and calls for greater human rights and democracy in China.” If convicted, he faces up to 3 years in prison.
Incidentally, next week, I’ll be moderating a panel in the annual PEN World Voices Festival in New York City. The Festival serves as a major international meeting-point for writers and artists, and in its fifth year takes the theme of Evolution/Revolution – how we change and how the world changes.