European press agencies join forces in European Newsroom

Eighteen European press agencies are joining forces in a new and ambitious project: The European Newsroom. The intention is for journalists to enrich each other's reporting and to grow in areas such as cyber security and fact checking.

Journalists from the participating agencies will continue to do their regular work, but on top of that will publish news reports on the cutting edge of national and European news. In this way, they expand each other's offer and offer their clients a more pan-European perspective on the news.

The European Newsroom will be housed at Belga, where journalists can also receive training to better deal with disinformation and cyber security, and enjoy additional services such as a shared agenda and interview room.

"The idea behind the project", says DPA CEO Peter Kropsch, "is to bring together large and small agencies and bring the diversity of Europe to our newsroom." Other agencies may join the project at a later stage.

The European Newsroom was launched ​ at the beginning of July, but tonight, the consortium will be formally launched in the buildings of the Belga press agency. This will happen in the presence of European Commission Vice Presidents Vera Jourova and Margaritis Schinas, who will bear the operational costs of the project until the end of 2023.

The European Newsroom is coordinated by the German DPA. Apart from DPA and Belga, the participating agencies are AFP (France), Agerpres (Romania), ANSA (Italy), APA (Austria), BTA (Bulgaria), Europapress and EFE (Spain), HINA (Croatia), STA (Slovenia), TASR (Slovakia), ATA (Albania), FENA (Bosnia and Herzegovina), MIA (North Macedonia) and Tanjug (Serbia). PAP from Poland joined later and does not receive EU funding, Ukrinform from Ukraine is exempted from a financial contribution as a 'solidarity partner' to use the services of the European Newsroom.

© BELGA PHOTO