Steering Committee on Media and Information Society (CDMSI) and expert committees

Under the authority of the Committee of Ministers, the Steering Committee on Media and Information Society (CDMSI) steers the Council of Europe’s work in the fields of freedom of expression, media, internet governance and other information society-related issues and oversees the work on personal data protection.

On all questions within its area of expertise and taking due account of relevant transversal perspectives, the CDMSI advises the Committee of Ministers and facilitates and promotes co-operation among Council of Europe member States by developing common policies, reviewing their implementation and fulfilling any other activity which might be assigned to it.

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Back MSI-eREG advances work on guidance for media regulators at second meeting in Luxembourg

The Council of Europe’s Committee of Experts on Media Regulators in a Platform-Based Environment (MSI-eREG) held its second meeting on 14–15 September 2026, hosted by the Luxembourg authorities. The meeting took place at the Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance of the University of Luxembourg.

Operating under the authority of the Steering Committee on Media and Information Society (CDMSI), MSI-eREG is preparing a Guidance Note on Media Regulators in a Platform-Based Environment, aimed at supporting media regulators in remaining independent, effective and properly equipped in an increasingly platform-driven media landscape.

The meeting was chaired by Stephanie Comey (Ireland), Chair of MSI-eREG, and opened by Céline Flammang, member of the CDMSI and its Bureau in respect of Luxembourg and Senior Policy Adviser at the Department of Media, Connectivity and Digital Policy of the Ministry of State. Mark D. Cole, Luxembourg member of MSI-eREG and Professor at the University of Luxembourg, played an important role in facilitating the meeting at the University.

A central part of the meeting was dedicated to hearings with representatives of online platforms and services, including Amazon, Bulle, Eurosky, Google, Mastodon, Meta, Seznam.cz and Tribela. The hearings provided the Committee with a range of perspectives on developments in the platform environment and their implications for media regulation, feeding into the preparation of the Guidance Note.

The Committee also considered related Council of Europe standard-setting work, including the Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to member States on online safety and empowerment of users and content creators, the Guidance Note on the Implications of Generative AI for Freedom of Expression, and the work of the Committee of Experts on Safeguarding Media Pluralism in the Online Environment (MSI-ePLU). Aneta Gonţa, Chair of MSI-ePLU and Chair of the Audiovisual Council of the Republic of Moldova, engaged with MSI-eREG members in an exchange on the ongoing work to safeguard media pluralism in the online environment and its relevance to media regulation.

The second day included an exchange with the Luxembourg Independent Authority for Audiovisual Media (ALIA) and its Director, Cindy Bauwens, bringing the practical experience of a national regulatory authority to the Committee’s deliberations.

Building on its first meeting in Strasbourg in March 2026, the Committee devoted substantial working sessions to the draft Guidance Note, drawing on the hearings and exchanges held during the meeting.

The next meeting of MSI-eREG will take place on 11–12 February 2027 in Paris, where the Committee will continue its work towards completing the Guidance Note by the end of 2027

Luxembourg 14-15 September 2026

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Chair of the CDMSI

"As Chair of the CDMSI, it is an honour to lead and to serve a Steering Committee whose work lies at the heart of the Council of Europe’s mission. Through the strong expertise, diverse perspectives and close cooperation between its members, the CDMSI has created a rich legacy of pioneering initiatives that have shaped European standards in the fields of freedom of expression, media policy, and the information society.

In a time of profound technological, social, and democratic change, our work is firmly grounded in Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which enshrines the right to freedom of expression and information as a cornerstone of democratic societies.

Guided by this fundamental principle, we remain committed to protecting freedom of expression, promoting media pluralism and independence, supporting the safety of journalists, and addressing the challenges and opportunities of the digital environment."

Aikaterini Polyzou, Chair of the CDMSI

CDMSI members

CDMSI: List of members

CDMSI observers

List of observers to the CDMSI

How to become observer to CDMSI

Together with representatives of Council of Europe members states, steering committees can benefit from the participation of other organisations as observers, including “Civil society and representatives of business, technical, professional and academic communities”( without the right to vote and without defrayal of expenses).

Some criteria have been defined for granting observer status to the steering committee. The organisations (associations, foundations, NGOs) should demonstrate:

a broad experience in the areas of competence of the CDMSI – or its subordinate bodies;
an ability to make an effective and high quality contribution to its activities (necessary human and material resources;
a representation at a Europe-wide, and where relevant a broader, level.

Meetings