“The media in a democratic society: reconciling freedom of expression with the protection of human rights”: Luxembourg – 30 September – 1st Oct. 2002

The conference in pictures

		Luxembourg conference on freedom of expression and the protection of human rights Freedom of expression and its limits, protecting journalists' sources and journalistic ethics was discussed at a conference organised by the Luxembourg Chair of the Council of Europe, held in Mondorf-les-Bains on 30 September and 1 October. The conference also looked at the draft legislation on freedom of the press which is currently before the Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies.
______________________________________________ Themes of the conference - Freedom of media: the principle and its limits - Freedom of expression and protection of individual freedoms: antagonistic or complementary? - Does freedom of expression carry responsibilities? - Protection of sources - Journalists' ethics ______________________________________________
Programme List of participants Press releases Useful links Media division of the Council of Europe Luxembourg Government (French) The Luxembourg draft law on freedom of expression in the media (Luxembourg Site – French) OSCE - Situation of the media by country				Lydie Polfer: Government officials cannot dictate to the media information that suits them The ambition of the Council of Europe must be to carry on its efforts to assist in the transformation of the legislative frameworks, but also of normal human attitudes to freedom of expression and information, Lydie Polfer declared at the close of the Luxembourg conference on media freedom. Full speech ___________________
			“No law should specifically put journalists under a legal regime which does not apply to all citizens” The increasing pressure for media to hand over films or pictures and for reporters to give testimony may threaten the status of journalists as independent neutral observers” stated Rapporteur General Aiden White at the closing of the conference on freedom of the media. Interview and Conclusions Press release ___________________
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	Interview with Gérard Philipps, who currently chairs the Ministers' Deputies Human rights, terrorism and the media: the Luxembourg Chair's priorities – ''Freedom of the media is far from being a reality throughout Europe. As well as serious violations in certain countries it faces other threats, such as concentration of ownership. […] The aim of this conference is to help the media to adapt to the modern world, bearing in mind that media freedom can never be taken for granted''.
______________________________________________ The protection of journalistic sources: Recent developments and actual challenges by Prof. dr. Dirk Voorhoof, Professor, Media and Communication Research Center, Ghent University, Belgium Does freedom of expression carry responsibilities? by Alvin Sold, Honorary President and member of the bureau of the European Newspaper Publishers’ Association, Editor of "Tageblatt", Luxembourg Journalists' ethics by Claude-Jean Bertrand, Professor Emeritus, University of Paris II, Paris Freedom of expression : the principles and its limits - by Basil Ader, barrister at the Paris Bar Freedom of expression and protection of individual freedoms: antagonistic or complementary? by Dean Spielmann, barrister, member of the Luxembourg Consultative Committee on Human Rights
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Council of Europe background information Freedom of expression in Europe - Case-law concerning Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights Committee of Ministers’ Recommendations Committee of Ministers monitoring procedures - Background information The media in a democratic society – Resolution n°2 of the 4th European Ministerial Conference on Mass Media Policy - Prague, 7-8 December 1994 ______________________________________________ The Luxembourg draft law on freedom of expression in the media Draft law on freedom of expression in the media Explanatory memorandum Written expertise on the draft law on freedom of expression in the media by Patrick Wachsmann (French only) - ______________________________________________ Speeches François Biltgen, Minister responsible for Communications, Luxembourg [01.10.2002] Lydie Polfer, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg [01.10.2002] Jean Bour, State Prosecutor at the Diekirch district Court, Luxembourg [30.09.2002] Viviane Reding, European Union Commissioner responsible for education and culture [30.09.2002] Peter Schieder, President of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly [30.09.2002] Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Deputy Secretary General, Council of Europe [30.09.2002] Biographies Lydie Polfer, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg Peter Schieder, President of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Deputy Secretary General, Council of Europe Viviane Reding, European Union Commissioner responsible for education and culture Gérard Philipps, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Luxembourg to the Council of Europe