The Conference will focus on the protection of journalists against physical attacks through the development of new rapid response mechanisms aimed at preventing attacks and discovering the perpetrators.

In addition to many MEPs, journalists and editors, the Conference is also attended by the French Foreign Minister and the Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland.

Vesna Marjanovic, who is also the Vice-Chairperson of the PACE Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media, said that the general impression is that journalism as a profession is again threatened by not only the economic position of the journalists, but also by the great influence of political and financial centres of power who limit media freedom and freedom of speech and impede the institutions’ efficient response in the protection of journalists. She said that the goal of the Conference is to sign a Memorandum of Understanding which would create a European Internet platform to record attacks on and treats against journalists so as to provide them with efficient protection.