About the Council of Europe Campaign for the Safety of Journalists Journalists Matter, the Council of Europe Campaign for the Safety of Journalists, is a pan-European initiative to promote press freedom and protect journalists from violence, threats, and harassment while performing their duties.

Launched in October 2023, the Campaign responds to mounting evidence of deteriorating conditions for journalists across Europe. It is grounded in the standards of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)4 on the protection of journalism and safety of journalists and other media actors.

The Campaign’s continued relevance was underscored in the Council of Europe Secretary General’s 2025 Report Towards a New Democratic Pact for Europe, which highlights that “despite efforts, institutional responses to attacks on journalists remain largely ineffective, leaving press freedom in a fragile state.” Although launched earlier, the Journalists Matter Campaign is recognised in the report as a key initiative encouraging member States to take concrete action in line with these standards.

A central part of the Campaign is the development and adoption of National Action Plans (NAPs) for the safety of journalists, tailored to each national context. These NAPs serve as strategic frameworks to coordinate state action across relevant institutions, from law enforcement to the judiciary.

To support this, the Campaign also promotes the establishment of national Campaign Committees—multi-stakeholder platforms bringing together state institutions, civil society, media actors, and independent bodies. These committees are intended not only to guide implementation during the Campaign but also to serve as sustainable dialogue and coordination mechanisms beyond its duration.

The Council of Europe invites all stakeholders to support this effort, take action to enhance protection for journalists, and raise awareness about the importance of safeguarding their right to report freely and without fear. The Campaign is a five-year initiative covering all Council of Europe member States and is open to voluntary contributions.

Concept note >>

 Objectives

• promoting the development of corresponding campaigns at national level;
• encouraging states to take measures towards the adoption of National Action Plans for the safety of journalists
• supporting the creation of Campaign Committees bringing together institutions, civil society, and media actors, designed to remain as dialogue platforms and coordination mechanisms even after the Campaign’s life;
• providing help to the development of appropriate legal and institutional frameworks at national level;
• changing the situation effectively and significantly in practice.

 Target groups

• Journalists will be called to play a crucial role in campaigning for their safety and media freedom in general;
• Press councils, national and international associations, and institutions dealing with media freedom and journalists’ rights will be called to enhance their involvement in and support to the protection of journalists’ safety;
• Media outlets will be called to more effectively and actively contribute to protecting journalists’ safety;
• Judges, prosecutors, law enforcement, and other relevant public authorities will be called to raise their awareness and enhance their capacity for a more effective protection of journalists’ safety;
• Public officials, elected bodies, and political parties will be called to improve the policies and legislations affecting journalists’ safety and the freedom of expression;
• Civil society will be called to take proactive steps and sensitise public authorities and society in general on the situation in the field;
• Educational institutions, including secondary schools and universities, together with youth organisations and the wider youth sector, will be called to raise awareness on the safety of journalists, foster democratic participation, and engage young people in promoting media freedom and a culture of accountability.

 Expected results

• Journalists across Europe enjoy a safe environment to fulfil their role as “public watchdogs”;
• National Action Plans—where relevant—are adopted and implemented;
• Campaign Committees are established and function as sustainable coordination and dialogue platforms;
• Enhanced legal and institutional safeguards are in place;
• Effective remedies against attacks on journalists are established;
• Investigations and prosecutions of crimes against journalists are improved, and perpetrators are sanctioned;
• Greater public and political recognition of the positive role of journalists in democratic societies.