Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1508940
12 EWROPEJ maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 4 OCTOBER 2023 This article is part of a content series called Ewropej. This is a multi-newsroom initiative part-funded by the European Parliament to bring the work of the EP closer to the citizens of Malta and keep them informed about matters that affect their daily lives. These articles reflect only the authors' view. The European Parliament is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. THE European Parliament's committee on the environment, public health and food safety grilled the Slovakian commis- sioner Maroš Šefčovič after having been assigned the role of Commission exec- utive vice-president for the European Green Deal. All Commissioners are subjected to a question and answer session from MEPs in the committees that deal with the portfolio they steward, apart from a series of written answers. Šefčovič underlined the need to final- ise the work on the European Grean Deal "with urgency and courage", while ensuring the proper implementation of already-agreed measures. The committees on Industry, Research and Energy, on Transport and Tourism and on Agriculture and Rural Develop- ment participated in the hearing. Šefčovič is currently in charge of the Interinstitutional Relations and Fore- sight portfolio in the college of Com- missioners. He was assigned the role of Executive Vice-President for the Euro- pean Green Deal following Frans Tim- mermans' decision to resign and run as a candidate in the forthcoming Dutch general election. He said that in the remaining months of his mandate he would seek the sup- port of citizens for the Green Deal and bring all pending proposals to fruition while rolling out agreed files on the vast package of measures. The European Green Deal is financed by one-third of the €1.8 trillion invest- ments from the NextGenerationEU Re- covery Plan, and the EU's seven-year budget will finance the European Green Deal. The European Commission has adopted a set of proposals to make the EU's climate, energy, transport and tax- ation policies fit for reducing net green- house gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. Šefčovič underlined his full support for the conclusion of outstanding cli- mate action files, such as those dealing with nature restoration, ecodesign for sustainable products, critical raw ma- terials, electricity market design, meth- ane emissions and energy performance of buildings. MEPs asked Šefčovič on his plans to coordinate EU climate action, request- ing a commitment for a science-based EU climate target for 2040; how he would ensure the full and timely imple- mentation of EU environmental laws in all EU countries, including the leg- islation adopted under the Green Dea; when the Commission would adopt the legislative framework for sustain- able food systems; and how the needs of stakeholders, including consumers, farmers, foresters and rural communi- ties, would be taken into consideration. Other MEPs asked how he would fa- cilitate negotiations on the EU Nature Restoration Law to ensure a compro- mise between Parliament and Council and which actions from the EU Biodi- versity Strategy 2030 he intends to still deliver – including on funding targets. The need to work closer with indus- try was also raised by MEPs, who ques- tioned the Executive Vice-President on how he would create sectoral roadmaps in line with the EU Climate Law. Oth- er MEPs asked about animal welfare, REACH revision, micro plastics and the role of nuclear energy in the green tran- sition. MATTHEW VELLA MEPS adopted their position on a law that seeks to strengthen the transparency and independence of EU media. Adopted by 448 votes in favour, 102 against and 75 abstentions on Tuesday, the law seeks to oblige member states to ensure media plurality and protect media in- dependence from governmental, political, economic or private in- terference. The next step will be for lead MEPs to start negotiations on the law with the Council. MEPs want to ban all forms of interference in the editorial decisions of media outlets and prevent external pressure being exerted on journalists, such as forcing them to disclose their sources. The main question will be to what degree this law, after nego- tiatons with member states, will force governments to extricate themselves from control or in- fluence on public broadcasters, and whether positive obliga- tions will be created on member states. The law could have wide ram- ifications for Malta's national broadcaster, whose close control by central government has been a bone of contention for decades since the liberalisation of the broadcast media. Under the compromise text, member states will have to en- sure – either by law or actions – that public broadcasters have full autonomy and editorial in- dependence from governmental, political, economic or private vested interest. Member states will be told to ensure the principles of "inde- pendence, accountability, ef- fectiveness, transparency and openness" are respected in pub- lic broadcaster's management structures by appointing them in a transparent, open and non-dis- criminatory procedure. Directors' terms will also be es- tablished in national law and be sufficient to ensure effective in- dependence of the public media service provider. Member States will also have to ensure that public service media providers have "adequate, sus- tainable and predictable financial resources on a multiannual basis for the fulfilment of their public service remit." An independent authority will determine the financial needs ap- propriate for public service me- dia providers. Disclosure on ownership and funds To assess media independence, Parliament wants to oblige all media, including micro-enter- prises, to publish information on their ownership structure. Members also want media, in- cluding online platforms and search engines, to report on funds they receive from state advertising and on state finan- cial support. This includes funds from non-EU countries. Member states have to ensure that public media have adequate, sustainable and predictable fund- ing allocated via multiannual budgets, MEPs say. To ensure media outlets do not become dependent on state advertising, they propose a cap on public advertising allocated to a single media provider, on- line platform or a search engine at 15% of the total advertising budget allocated by that author- ity in a given EU country. MEPs want the criteria for allocating public funds to media to be pub- licly available. MEPs also wants the European Board for Media Services – a new EU body to be created via the Media Freedom Act – to be legal- ly and functionally independent from the Commission and able to act independently from it. MEPs also push for an independent "expert group", representing the media sector and civil society, to advise this new Board. "We must not turn a blind eye to the worrying state of press freedom worldwide and in Eu- rope," rapporteur Sabine Verhey- en (EPP) said. "Media is not just any business. Beyond its econom- ic dimension, it contributes to education, cultural development and inclusivity in society, pro- tecting fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and access to information. With this bill, we reach an important legis- lative milestone to safeguard the diversity and freedom of our me- dia landscape and our journalists and protect our democracies." Šefcovic grilled on climate deliverables for European Green Deal by MEPs Media law that challenges state control of public broadcaster heads for Council talks Rapporteur Sabine Verheyen