The 26^th plenary meeting of the CDMSI took place on 4-6 December 2024 in Strasbourg. During the meeting, chaired by Maja Zarić, the CDMSI members exchanged on the Council of Europe’s  ‘Journalist Matter’ Campaign progress, including the outcome of the Seminar on the Role of the Police in the Protection of the Safety of Journalists (26-27 September 2024) and the Annual Thematic Conference on the Protection of Journalists – a multistakeholder dialogue (29-30 October 2024). Relevant information was also provided on the Platform’s key role in safeguarding journalism and ensuring the safety of journalists as well as on ongoing co-operation projectson freedom of expression.

The participants welcomed the presence of Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, whose intervention focused on the challenges to maintaining a free, reliable and diverse media environment, including those posed by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and disinformation. The Vice-President of the European Court of Human Rights, Judge Arnfinn Bardsen, delivered a key presentation to inform the CDMSI about relevant case-law of the Court on freedom of expression and ongoing efforts in following developments related to digital technologies and their impact on human rights.

CDMSI members held discussions also on developments concerning the work of the two expert committees on Online Safety and Empowerment of Content Creators and Users (MSI-eSEC) and implications of Generative Artificial Intelligence for Freedom of Expression (MSI-AI); follow-up to Recommendation CM/Rec(2024)2 on countering the use of strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs). Under CDMSI’s terms of reference, fruitful exchanges took place on relevant work on Media and Information Literacy (MIL) , a Feasibility study on immersive reality applications and their implications for Freedom of Expression, and the Report on trends in freedom of expression in Council of Europe Member States. Representatives of the News Media Coalition offered insights for newsgathering in today’s disinformed society.

The CDMSI members proceeded to the election of Maja Zarić (Serbia) as CDMSI Chair, Taavo Lumiste (Estonia) as Vice-Chair and Aikaterini Polyzou (Greece) as a CDMSI Bureau member.