Progress in media reform should not depend solely on the formal stages of EU integration. This was the key takeaway from the round table “Ukrainian Media Legislation on the Road to Alignment with Council of Europe and European Union Standards”, held in Kyiv on 24 June 2025 as part of the Council of Europe project “Safeguarding Freedom of Expression and Freedom of the Media in Ukraine – Phase II” (SFEM-UA).

The Council of Europe and its Ukrainian partners reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing media reform in Ukraine, despite ongoing political, institutional, and wartime challenges. Participants discussed the status of key legislative proposals - including five draft laws and one technical document already reviewed by the Council of Europe: No. 11321, No. 12253, No. 10242, No. 11115, No. 12111, as well as preliminary proposals aimed at countering SLAPP lawsuits.

The event brought together members of Parliament, representatives of state institutions, civil society, the journalistic community, and international partners. Discussions focused on the existing obstacles and potential solutions in the process of aligning Ukraine’s media legislation with European standards - including those set by the Digital Services Act (DSA), Digital Markets Act (DMA), European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), AI Convention and the forthcoming anti-SLAPP Directive

Key topics discussed during the round table included: access to public information, ensuring digital safety, the use of artificial intelligence in journalism, advertising restrictions and controls in the media, media co-regulation, and the need to enhance the accountability of global tech companies.Participants also highlighted the urgent need to protect journalists working in wartime conditions and under various other threats - including SLAPP lawsuits, online harassment, and political pressure.

Particular attention was paid to engagement with major online platforms on the removal of harmful and false content, countering disinformation, and the development of a national monitoring and enforcement mechanism.

In this context, Lora Yaremchuk, state expert on Digital Economy development of the Ministry of Digital Transformation, presented a roadmap for legislative alignment with the EU’s Digital Services Act, noting that three draft laws are currently being finalised and will be submitted for expert assessment in July.

“It is not only the letter of the law that matters, but the institutional capacity to implement it effectively. That is why we are also developing the concept of a unified digital regulator.”

Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, Head of the Verkhovna Rada’s Committee on Freedom of Speech, emphasised the connection between media reform and democratic legitimacy, especially under martial law: “We cannot wait for peace to build a free media environment – the pressure is growing now, and so must our response.”

Vita Volodovska, head of Digital Security Lab Ukraine, reinforced this message by calling for clear legal safeguards for investigative journalism and co-regulatory mechanisms to prevent abuse of media legislation. She emphasised that relevant legislation represents only half the success - the other half depends on the political will to implement and apply these laws as tools for protecting rights and enabling accountability, rather than for exerting control.

The Council of Europe continues to provide expert, institutional, and technical support to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of media reform in Ukraine.

The Council of Europe Project “Safeguarding Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Media in Ukraine – II Phase” (SFEM-UA) is implemented by the Council of Europe  Division for Co-operation on Freedom of Expression in the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” 2023-2026.