This is what has been approved by the ministerial conference of the Council of Europe gathered in Belgrade on November 7 and 8 at the invitation of the Serbian government.

Ministers from many national governments and delegation from all 48 countries members of the Council of Europe debated over two days with experts and international organizations and NGOs before to approve the documents.

EBU delegation, lead by the Director General, Ingrid Deltenre played an important role in the preparation of the conference (one of the discussion paper on convergence was prepared by Michael Wagner) [SEE LINK] and the DG herself was invited as key note speaker to open the ministerial conference session on pluralism and independence of media [SEE LINK].

The documents -that now need to be implemented in national legislation by the governments and parliaments of the CoE member states - were approved at unanimity, with only one reserve expressed by the UK government, concerning the explicit condemnation in the text of the practice of mass surveillance over the internet. According to UK these practices are needed to fight against terrorism. Russia that also expressed some concerns on the documents, at the end approved the adopted text.

The Secretary General of the CoE, that opened the Conference with a speech proning for more freedom of expression, pluralism and public service over Europe, [see LINK] welcomed the approved final resolution saying that they shall preserve and even improve freedom of expression and pluralism in the age of the converging media.