EU member states have approved a bill allowing governments to spy on journalists in the name of "national security".
The Council published the last week a draft European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) that would expand media surveillance powers, even allowing the placement spyware on journalists' phones.
The original purpose of EMFA was to safeguard the independence and pluralism of the media. The act, first presented by the Commission last September, was hailed as a major step forward in protecting press freedom.
But earlier this month, France added an exception to the ban on installing spyware against journalists, provided it is used in the interest of national security.
This exemption would allow member states to hack journalists' phones if they suspect their sources could be talking to criminals involved in anything the state perceives to be a threat.
A wide range of crimes, ranging from murder to theft and music piracy, will now be considered a legal justification for use software monitoring journalists.
Supporters of freedom of the press have warned that these last-minute changes could "open the door to all kinds of abuse".
Η European Federation of Journalists, which represents around 320.000 journalists from 45 countries, said it was "disturbed" by the "dangerous loopholes" in the Council's proposal.
"It shows contempt for the principles of media freedom," it said, arguing that such legislation would put journalists and their sources even more at risk.
Christophe Deloire, secretary general of Reporters Without Borders, went so far as to say that adding a national security exemption to the EMFA is "a danger to journalism" and that it "poisons the law from within".
One millionfaceof the EU Commission he told reporters last week that he "would not comment on every step of the legislative process" when asked about whether spyware could be used against journalists.
The EU committee will now take the bill to the European Parliament to draw up the final text.
