Council of Europe: the PACE entrusts the Venice Commission to draft a report on media freedom in Italy

Following the approval of the resolution no. 1920, 24 January 2013, on the state of media freedom in Europe, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has mandated the Venice Commission to prepare a report on the compatibility of the Italian laws on defamation with article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The resolution underlines the criticism to some countries of the Council of Europe (including Hungary, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine) in the field of press freedom and reaffirms the prohibition of interference of states in the freedom of expression of journalists. PACE has therefore called upon States to implement positive measures to ensure full compliance of the laws and of the national policy with the European standards aimed at ensuring to each individual the freedom of expression.

With regard to the rise of journalists working in precarious work situations, the Assembly indicated to the concerned trade unions the opportunity of submitting collective complaints before the European Committee on Social Rights in case of alleged violations of certain provisions of the European Social Charter.

The European Commission for Democracy through Law, better known as the Venice Commission, was established in Strasbourg on 10 May 1990 at the initiative of 18 Member States of the Council of Europe. Advisory body on constitutional matters, it is composed of constitutional and international law experts, supreme or constitutional court judges and members of national parliaments.