The Mission supports the development of free, independent, unbiased and professional media in Kosovo. The media are an integral component of any democratic society and perform an oversight role and a watchdog function. The information they provide fosters and encourages public engagement in political and economic life and promotes dialogue and tolerance between different communities.

Media legislation and regulation

The Mission assists relevant media institutions in Kosovo in developing a comprehensive legal framework for the media, in line with international media standards, which guarantees freedom of speech and access to information. The legal framework includes legislation ranging from civil defamation codes to broadcasting regulations and public broadcasting law. Consequently, the Mission advises various Assembly of Kosovo committees in drafting and reviewing media legislation to help ensure its compliance with international best practices.

The Mission provides professional advice and technical assistance to the Independent Media Commission (IMC), which licenses, regulates and monitors the broadcast media. The Mission assists the IMC in drafting regulations in line with the EU audio-visual media services directive and the strategy for media digitalization.

In 2005 the Mission helped establish the Press Council of Kosovo, a self-regulatory body for print media. The Mission continues to support this institution through activities focusing on the improvement of media self-regulation, journalistic ethics and freedom of the press.

Assisting the public service broadcaster

The Mission was instrumental in establishing the public service broadcaster, Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK), in 1999, and in supporting its subsequent professional development.

The focus is now on assisting the public broadcaster to improve its programming dedicated to non-Albanian communities and on creating conditions for co-operation between RTK and local television stations throughout Kosovo. The Mission continues to monitor and lobby for RTK's financial and editorial independence. It advises RTK's board and management and supports the Kosovo Assembly's Committee for Public Services, Local Administration and Media in the process of developing a legal framework that would ensure that the RTK is politically, financially and editorially independent, and that it serves all communities living in Kosovo.