Spain - September 2024

On 17 September, the government approved a broad Action Plan for Democracy, a package of measures intended to enhance media independence and the right to information. Key initiatives include the drafting of an Open Administration Law to improve the quality of government information, the establishment of an independent authority to protect whistleblowers in public administration, measures for the disclosure of assets and interests by ministers and political parties, and legal safeguards to protect journalists’ sources. The plan also envisages the creation of a media register to improve transparency around media ownership and funding, to be maintained by an independent regulatory body. Building on consultations with parliamentary groups conducted in July, the plan will be implemented over three years and monitored by an inter-ministerial commission.

Sources: La Moncloa, International Press Institute, Publico, Euractiv