On 23-24 September the Committee of Experts on Media Environment and Reform (MSI-REF) held its first meeting online, due to current travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Committee is composed of 13 members, comprising seven member States’ representatives, elected by the Steering Committee on Media and Information Society (CDMSI), and six independent experts, appointed by the Secretary General, with recognised expertise related to freedom of expression and media freedom. Maria Donde has been elected as the Chair of the Committee.

The Expert Committee has examined the first drafts and roadmap for the following three policy documents:

• a draft recommendation by the Committee of Ministers to member States with guiding principles for media and communication governance in order to address the shift from established channels to social networks and of related risks (manipulation of public opinion, lack of public trust, information disorder) with a view to ensuring consistency of relevant laws and policies with Council of Europe standards on the right to freedom of expression and information.
• a draft recommendation by the Committee of Ministers to member States on election communication and media coverage of electoral campaigns.
• a guidance note on regulatory/policy requirements, compatible with freedom of expression and information, responding to users’ needs and technical possibilities related to the prioritisation of public interest content on relevant social and search platforms and other news aggregators.