Moldova to have new law on mass media's activity, aligned with European standards

Moldova will have a new law on mass media’s activity, aligned with European standards. The document aims to ensure a transparent, fair and democratic work of the media market and to contribute to strengthening the information resilience of the society. The parliament today adopted a draft law to this effect in the second reading.

The draft seeks to create a coherent legal framework that ensures a balance between freedom of expression, editorial responsibility and the protection of media pluralism, in line with European standards and recent developments on the media market. The document defines key concepts for the media sector, such as media pluralism, editorial responsibility, media service provider and media market concentration. At the same time, it establishes the general legal framework applicable to media services’ providers, as well as their rights and obligations.

The draft provides for the establishment of the Register of Transparency of Ownership and Financing of Media Services’ Providers, managed by the Culture Ministry. Registration in the register will be voluntary and will not represent a condition for carrying out media activities. The register will ensure the administrative record of media services’ providers and will facilitate public access to information regarding ownership structures and the main sources of funding of media institutions. The access to public support mechanisms provided by law, including through the Media Subsidy Fund, is conditional on registration as a media service provider in the Register, as well as on meeting the other conditions laid down in the legislation.

Other provisions concern the protection of journalistic activity and the strengthening of guarantees regarding editorial independence, through measures aimed at preventing unjustified interference and ensuring the free exercise of the journalistic profession. In addition, benchmarks are introduced for assessing media services’ market concentration, including from the perspective of its impact on media pluralism and editorial independence.

At the same time, the document aims to bring national legislation closer to the European standards laid down by Regulation (EU) 2024/1083 on establishing a common framework for media services on the internal market (European Media Freedom Act).

The Culture Ministry will be the central public authority responsible for drafting and promoting public policies in the field of mass media.

The draft was developed by a group of MPs under the platform of the parliamentary commission for culture, education, research, youth, sport and media, with the participation of members of the Council of Media Experts from the civil society, as well as representatives of the Culture Ministry and the Audiovisual Council. The document was consulted with the Venice Commission and the European Commission, and the recommendations made were incorporated into the text of the draft. The proposals put forward during public consultations were taken into account in the process of finalizing the document.

The new law will enter into force six months after its publication in the Official Journal. With the entry into application of the new provisions, the 1994 Press Law will be repealed.