Work in this thematic area focuses on prisons and police (including human rights in policing, healthcare in prisons and safeguards against torture and ill-treatment), human rights standards in the judiciary (focusing on enhancing the application of case-law of the European Court of Human Rights), the efficiency of justice systems (with a focus on analysing judicial statistics to optimise court administrations) and/or legal co-operation (which concentrate on increasing the individual independence of judges and prosecutors and the accountability of the judicial system).

Back Constitutional Court ruling opens path to strengthen media regulator’s independence

Pristina 08 September 2025
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Constitutional Court ruling opens path to strengthen media regulator’s independence

Ensuring the independence of the media regulator and aligning the local legal framework with European standards were at the heart of discussions at a roundtable in Pristina, that brought together members and staff of the Independent Media Commission (IMC), civil society representatives, and international partners.

The roundtable, organised with the support of EU and Council of Europe, provided an opportunity to reflect on the findings of the Constitutional Court regarding the Law on the IMC and their implications for future reforms. Key elements of the judgment were presented, with a focus on provisions related to on-demand services, video-sharing platforms, and other types of online media. These were followed by in-depth discussions, which also addressed issues such as the independence of the IMC, media ownership, and other areas highlighted by the Court.

Interventions from international organisations and civil society enriched the debate, underlining the shared commitment to ensuring that the IMC functions as a fully independent regulator in line with European standards. Participants agreed that the judgment represents both a challenge and an opportunity to strengthen the media regulatory framework, in connection with European instruments such as the EU Digital Services Act and the Audiovisual Media Services Directive.

The event concluded with a reaffirmation of the Council of Europe’s readiness to continue supporting Kosovo’s* institutions and the IMC in this process, including through future working group meetings and the provision of expertise.

This activity was organised within the framework of the action “Protecting freedom of expression and of the media (PROFREX)” in close co-operation with the Independent Media Commission. PROFREX is implemented by the Division for Co-operation on Freedom of Expression of the Council of Europe and is part of the joint European Union and the Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”.

 

 

 

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence

Actions under theme i: ensuring justice
  • Strengthening the quality and efficiency of justice in Albania - Phase III  
  • Supporting enforcement of judicial decisions and facilitating execution of ECtHR judgments in Albania           
  • Enhancing the protection of human rights of prisoners in Albania  
  • Strengthening human rights treatment of detained persons based on European standards and best practices in Bosnia and Herzegovina  
  • Strengthening the quality and efficiency of justice in Kosovo* -  Phase II  
  • Accountability of the judicial system in Montenegro - Phase II  
  • Improved procedural safeguards in judicial proceedings in Montenegro  
  • Further enhancing human rights protection for detained and sentenced persons in Montenegro  
  • Strengthening independence and accountability of the judiciary in Serbia  
  • Strengthening the effective legal remedies to human rights violations in Serbia  
  • Enhancing the human rights protection for detained and sentenced persons in Serbia  
  • Supporting enhanced access to higher quality Free Legal Aid services in North Macedonia  
  • Enhancing the capacities of the penitentiary system and the external oversight mechanism in North Macedonia                                                                                                                                                                                                 
  • Supporting the implementation and reporting on the Action Plan on Human Rights in Turkey  
  • Judicial training institutes for Quality and Sustainability in the Western Balkans 
  • Initiative for legal certainty in the Western Balkans  
  • Enhancing penitentiary capacities in addressing radicalisation in prisons in the Western Balkans  
  • Towards a better evaluation of the results of judicial reform efforts in the Western Balkans  
  • Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP) in the Western Balkans 
  • PACE cooperation with the parliamentary assemblies with a view to achieving legislative improvements in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Serbia 

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.