October 1, 2012 in Kiev, within the project of the Council of Europe and the European Union “Promotion of European Standards in the Ukrainian Media Environment” at the initiative of the Media Law Institute, hosted an expert discussion devoted to discussing recommendations for the protection of privacy in the media.

Participating experts discussed a project on “Recommendations for the media concerning the protection of the right to privacy”, developed by experts of the Council of Europe in cooperation with Ukrainian media organizations. In addition, during the debate, the issue of instruments for implementation of the recommendations was raised, including the possibility of concluding an agreement between the inter-professional associations and media unions. After all, planning the next steps, the experts stopped on the need to inform journalists on these recommendations and conducting targeted training.

Some proposals to improve the recommendations and their subsequent implementation were provided by Ms. Ludmyla Opryshko, Associate of Regional Press Development Institute, Ms. Tetiana Kotyuzhynska, chairman of the Association of Media Lawyers of Ukraine, independent media expert Mr. Dmytro Kotliar, Mr. Taras Shevchenko, Director of Media Law Institute and MLI lawyers Mr. Igor Rozkladai and Ms. Tetiana Semiletko.

The event was also attended by European experts: President of mediation committee on access to official documents prof. Bertil Kotye (Switzerland), expert of Netherlands State Service for the Protection of Personal Data Soera Nas (Netherlands), in the past presidential adviser of French National Commission on Information Technologies and Freedoms Marie Georges (France), Deputy Director of Social Education and International Cooperation Office of the Inspector General for the Protection of Personal Data Piotr Drobek (Poland) and Sophie Kvasny, Head of the Department for protection of Personal Data, DG Council of Europe on human rights and the rule of law.

Considered recommendations based on European standards are intended to promote fair coverage of the private lives of public figures and ordinary people by the media, that of the press, radio and television broadcasters and new media (especially bloggers).