Media - Freedom of expression and information


Steering Committee on
Media and Information Society
(CDMSI)

1st Meeting - 27 to 30 March 2012 (Strasbourg, Agora, Room G03)
CDMC/OJ(2012)1Annotated

Draft Agenda
(14/3/2012)

français

Order of Business

 

Morning

Afternoon

27 March

Items 1, 2, 4, 5 and
3 (end of morning)

Items 6

28 March

7, 8, 9

12, 13

29 March

10, 11

14, 15

30 March

16, 17

Finalisation of pending items, 18

1. Opening of the meeting

Notes and
expected action

Statement by and exchange of views with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe

2. Adoption of the agenda

Expected action

Adopt the agenda of the meeting and the order of business

3. Elections

Expected action

Elections of Chair, Vice-Chair, Bureau (five members) and Gender Equality Rapporteur
Nominations to be submitted by the coffee break. Elections starting at 12 noon.

4. Decisions of the Committee of Ministers

Documents

- Resolution CM/Res(2011)24 on intergovernmental committees and subordinate bodies, their terms of reference and working methods
- Terms of reference of the CDMSI

Notes and expected action

CDMSI to take note

i. Thematic debate on Freedom of the Media and related decisions (December 2011 and January 2012)

Documents

CM Decisions following the thematic debate:
https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?id=1894923&Site=CM&BackColorInternet=C3C3C3&BackColorIntranet=EDB021&BackColorLogged=F5D383

Notes and expected action

Information by Andris Mellakauls and the Secretariat
CDMSI discussion

ii. Internet Governance – Council of Europe Strategy 2012-2015

Documents

Internet Governance – Council of Europe Strategy 2012-2015

Notes and expected action

To be discussed under item 7

iii. Standards and CDMC texts

Documents

Declaration and Recommendation on Public Service Media Governance, adopted on 16 February 2012

Expected action

CDMSI to take note.

Documents

- Draft Recommendation on the protection of human rights with regard to social networking services
- Draft Recommendation on the protection of human rights with regard to search engines
- Draft Declaration on the desirability of international standards dealing with forum shopping in respect of defamation or (“libel tourism)

Notes and expected action

To be considered by the GR-H on 27 March and by CM on 4 April. CDMSI to take note.

5. Exchange of views on cooperation with the European Union

Ambassador Luisella Pavan-Woolfe, Head of the European Union Delegation to the Council of Europe
Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, Chairperson of the European Commission mandated High-Level Group on Media Freedom and Pluralism
Marietje Schaake, MEP (Rapporteur on A Digital Freedom Stategy in EU Foreign Policy)

Expected action

Postponed to a later meeting

6. Workshop on Internet Governance

Notes and expected action

An Introduction to Internet Governance
Workshop animated by DIPLO Foundation (Vladimir Radunovic, Alex Sceberras Trigona, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Malta)

7. Council of Europe Internet Governance Strategy 2012-2015

Documents

- Council of Europe Strategy on Internet Governance 2012-2015
- CDMSI(2012)Misc4 - Council of Europe & Internet Governance
Factsheet
- Secretariat Summary of Conference “Our Internet- Our rights, Our freedoms / Towards the Council of Europe strategy on Internet Governance 2012-2015” (Vienna, 24-25 Nov 2011) organised by the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs of Austria and the Council of Europe.

Notes and expected action

Exchange of views with Ambassador Thomas Hajnoczi (TC-INF) and relevant Secretariat on implementation of Strategy [Alexander Seger, Head of Data Protection and Cybercrime Division, Sophie Kwasny, Lee Hibbard, Head of Information Society Division, Elvana Thaçi,]
Overview of the implementation of the Strategy, focusing on the right to freedom of expression on the Internet and the right to impart and receive information regardless of frontiers

8. Pan-European and broader cooperation

i. European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG - Stockholm, 14-15 June 2012)

Documents

- Committee of Ministers decisions
https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?Ref=CM/Del/Dec(2012)1134&Language=lanEnglish&Ver=original&Site=CM&BackColorInternet=C3C3C3&BackColorIntranet=EDB021&BackColorLogged=F5D383

- EuroDIG 2011 – Messages from Belgrade
- EuroDIG 2012 – outline programme

Notes and expected action

Information by the Secretariat on the upcoming 5th edition of EuroDIG, to be held in Stockholm on 14-15 June 2012

ii. Internet Governance Forum (Baku, 6-9 November 2012 dates to be confirmed)

Notes

Information by the Secretariat

iii. Activities in neighbouring regions

Documents

Information document SG/Inf(2011)7rev2 - Council of Europe Neighbourhood Policy
https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?id=1767833&Site=CM&BackColorInternet=C3C3C3&BackColorIntranet=EDB021&BackColorLogged=F5D383

Notes and expected action

Information by the Secretariat on projects for activities in Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan

iv. Draft Declaration tabled by Latvia

Notes and expected action

See under Item 17. Other business

9. Standard setting on Information Society and Internet Governance

i. Follow-up to specific instruments on the Internet adopted by the Committee of Ministers

Documents

- Declaration on principles for Internet Governance
- Recommendation on the protection and promotion of the universality, integrity and openness of the Internet
- Declaration of the Committee of Ministers on Network Neutrality

Notes and expected action

Discussion

ii. Compilation of existing rights for Internet users

Documents

Draft terms of reference of the Committee of Experts on Rights of Internet Users (MC-RIU)
Work plan

Notes and expected action

Draft terms of reference to be considered by the Committee of Ministers.
Discussions and finalisation of draft Terms of reference, including membership

iii. Drafting of an instrument on cross-border flow of Internet traffic

Notes and expected action

Discussions and possible decisions

10. Standard setting on media

i. Compendium of Council of Europe standards in the field of media freedom, including with regard to hate speech

Documents

- CM adopted texts in the field of media:
http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/media/doc/cm_EN.asp?
http://www.obs.coe.int/oea_publ/legal/ebook-committeeministers-coe.pdf.e
http://www.obs.coe.int/oea_publ/legal/e-book_pace.pdf.en

Notes and expected action

Presentation by the European Audiovisual Observatory of the compilation and analysis work done on CM and PACE texts in the field of freedom of expression
Discussion and possible decision on approach to follow

ii. Initiatives to strengthen the protection of journalists, other media professionals and bloggers, both as regards preventive measures and effective investigation, taking into account the work conducted by other international organisations, and to foster ethical journalism

Documents

- ECHR report on positive obligations http://www.echr.coe.int/NR/rdonlyres/16237F92-BCB9-4F12-9B1C-0EF6E3B2CB27/0/RAPPORT_RECHERCHE_Positive_obligations_under_Article_10_EN.pdf

Notes and expected action

The CM will hold a thematic debate on this subject on 28 March 2012
Discussion and possible decision on approach to follow

iii. Draft convention on broadcasters’ neighbouring rights

Notes and expected action

Information by the Secretariat

iv. Draft recommendation on gender equality and media

Documents

Draft recommendation on gender equality and media

Notes and expected action

Advance submissions of drafting proposals encouraged. Discussion and possible decisions on finalisation

v. Gender equality dimension in the media coverage of election campaigns

Documents

- Recommendation No. R (99) 15 on measures concerning media coverage of election campaigns
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2007)15 on measures concerning media coverage of election campaigns
- Parity Democracy – a far cry from reality
Comparative study on the results of the first and second rounds of monitoring of Council of Europe Recommendation Rec(2003)3 on balanced participation of women and men in political and public decision-making http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/equality/03themes/women-decisionmaking/CDEG%20(2009)17_en_corrected.pdf
- Recommendation (2003)3 on balanced participation of women and men in political and public decision-making.

Notes and expected action

Information by the Secretariat
Discussion and possible decision on approach to follow.

vi. Proposals to the Committee of Ministers on follow-up to specific media-related instruments adopted by the Committee of Ministers (e.g. in respect of public service media, public service value of the Internet, or a new notion of media)

Notes and expected action

Discussion

vii. Contribution from a media and freedom of expression perspective to Council of Europe work addressing the problem of libel tourism

Documents

Draft Declaration of the Committee of Ministers on the desirability of international standards dealing with forum shopping in respect of defamation or (“libel tourism”)

Notes and expected action

Expected adoption by the CM on 4 April.
Exchange of views with Ms Diana SCOBIOALĂ, Steering Committee for Legal Cooperation (CDCJ) Representative to CDMSI and T-PD and with representatives or the Secretariat of the European Committee on Crime Problems (CDPC)

11. Implementation of CM Declaration of 13 January

i. Dialogue with the Secretariat of relevant Council of Europe monitoring mechanisms
ii. Improved collection and sharing of information and enhanced coordination on freedom of expression media freedom (thematic debate / yearly reporting)
iii. Developing a toolkit of assistance measures in the field of media freedom which could be made available upon request to member States and neighbouring countries
iv. Strengthening the impact and visibility of Council of Europe activities in the field of media freedom – promoting knowledge and effective implementation of these standards in member States, including among and with the media

Documents

- Declaration on measures to promote the respect of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights
- CM decision of 18/1/2012: https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?Ref=CM/Del/Dec(2012)1131/1.7&Language=lanEnglish&Ver=original&Site=CM&BackColorInternet=C3C3C3&BackColorIntranet=EDB021&BackColorLogged=F5D383

Notes and expected action

Discussion on intergovernmental input into the collection and sharing of information and enhanced co-ordination between the secretariats of the different Council of Europe bodies and institutions.
Discussion and possible decision on further work
Exchange of views with the Secretariat of relevant Council of Europe monitoring mechanisms:
- European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI)
- Office of the Human Right Commissioner
- European Court of Human Rights

12. Standard-setting on protection of personal data

i. Dialogue with representatives of the Consultative Committee of the Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data (T-PD) and of the CDCJ

Notes and expected action

Exchange of views with Mme Catherine Pozzo di Borgo, Vice-Chair of the T-PD and with representatives or the Secretariat of the CDCJ

ii. Information concerning the instruments currently reviewed by the T-PD:
- Convention 108
- data protection and employment
- data protection and the police

Documents

- Modernisation of the Convention 108 – new proposals
- CM Rec(89)2 to Member States on protection of personal data used for employment purposes
- CM Rec(87)15 to member States on regulating the use of personal data in the police sector
- (TPD(2012)WP – Work programme of the T-PD for 2012 and 2013
- Council of Europe Strategy on Internet Governance 2012-2015

Notes and expected action

Information by the Secretariat.
CDMSI to take note

13. 1st Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Media and Information Society (Serbia, 2013)

Documents

Background documents:
- CDMSI(2012)Misc1 - Discussion paper on possible modifications of the “public watchdog” term in the new media environment (M.Traimer – Austria)
- CDMSI(2012)Misc2 - “I don’t speak on behalf of…” - Agile Movements, Fluid Politics and the new Democratic Bargain (Ren Reynolds)
- CDMSI(2012)Misc3 - Access to the Internet – a human right? (A.Mellakauls – Latvia)
- CDMSI(2012)Misc5 - Background paper on connected television (France)

Notes and expected action

Discuss the preparation of the Ministerial Conference (themes, format…).

14. Other tasks stemming from Resolution CM/Res(2011)24

Documents

Resolution CM/Res(2011)24 on intergovernmental committees and subordinate bodies, their terms of reference and working methods

Notes and expected action

Possible advise on priorities with regard to CDMSI activities

15. Working methods

i. Prioritisation of activities (with reference to items 4, ii) and iii) and items 7 to 13 of the agenda)
ii. Gender Equality Rapporteur
iii. Resolution CM/Res(2011)24
iv. Regular contacts with CM TC-INF
v. Multi-stakeholder dialogue

16. Other information of interest to the CDMSI

i. Other Council of Europe activities relevant to the work of the CDMSI
ii. Programme lines and budget
iii. Progress review report
iv. Monitoring mechanisms and procedures
v. Relevant cooperation and field activities
Workplan
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Moldova

vi. Relevant activities of other international organisations with a view to avoiding duplication and achieving synergies

17. Other business

i) Draft Declaration tabled by Latvia

Documents

Draft Committee of Ministers declaration on risks to fundamental rights stemming from digital tracking and other surveillance technologies

Notes and expected action

The draft Declaration was tabled by Latvia. Given the three weeks rule (ref. Resolution CM/Res(2011)24, Article IX, §27-28) and further consultation needed with the T-PD and the CDCJ, it is not expected that this text will be finalised at the meeting.
Discussion and possible decision on follow-up

ii) Next meetings

Documents

CDMSI(2012)001 – Dates for future meetings and events

Notes and expected action

Take note of dates of meetings and consider lists of items

18. Adoption of abridged meeting report

Notes and expected action

Adopt the abridged report