Under the authority of the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee on Media and Information Society (CDMSI), the Committee of Experts on Media Regulators in a Platform-Based Environment (MSI-eREG) has begun its work on preparing a Guidance Note. The document will provide guidance on how to ensure that media regulators remain independent, effective and properly equipped to operate in an increasingly platform-driven media landscape.

Composed of seven members nominated by member States and six independent experts appointed by the Secretary General, the Committee held its first meeting in Strasbourg on 26–27 March 2026 and is expected to complete its work by the end of 2027.

During the meeting, Roberto Olla, Head of the Democratic Institutions and Freedoms Department at the Council of Europe, highlighted the importance of adapting regulatory frameworks to a rapidly changing information environment and situated the Committee’s work within the broader context of the New Democratic Pact for Europe. He underlined that the work of the MSI-eREG contributes to strengthening democratic resilience, including by addressing the impact of platform-based communication environments on freedom of expression, media pluralism and informed public debate.

The Committee began its discussions on the basis of a Background Study to Inform the Development of a Guidance Note on Media Regulators in a Platform-Based Environment, prepared by Dr Kristina Irion and Dr Ronan Ó Fathaigh from the Institute for Information Law, University of Amsterdam, which was presented by the authors during the meeting.

The meeting also benefitted from contributions by international organisations and European bodies, including the OSCE, UNESCO, and the European Board for Media Services. In addition, Dr Ethan Shattock of Queen’s University Belfast, co-author of UNESCO’s report on Good Practices in Digital Platform Governance by European Media Regulators, presented the report, providing practical insights for the Committee’s discussions on how regulators can address platform-related challenges and strengthen cooperation.

During the meeting, Stephanie Comey (Ireland) was elected Chair of the Committee and Rowena Burke (United Kingdom) Vice-Chair. Maida Ćulahović (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Tanja Kerševan (Slovenia) were further elected as co-drafting rapporteurs. Krisztina Rozgonyi (Austria) was appointed as rapporteur on gender equality and Michèle Ledger (Belgium) as rapporteur on children and youth.

Committee members and other participants engaged in constructive discussions on the timeline of the Committee’s work and on the future Guidance Note, including its scope, aims, structure and possible cooperation with relevant actors.

• Composition of the Committee
• Agenda of the first meeting
• For further information, see the MSI-eREG webpage.