Your voice matters

Express yourself

The EU protects what matters, including your right to voice your views, be heard and contribute to decisions that affect you.

In some parts of the world, telling a joke in public can land you a fine or even a jail sentence. In the EU, you’re free to speak your mind, as freedom of expression is protected.

Our democracy supports open debate, so ideas and opinions can be discussed freely. You can sit in a cafe or bar with friends, share your beliefs and not fear reprisals or censorship by the government. Democracy allows you to express yourself.

How are these freedoms protected?

These are not just rights on paper. The EU works continuously to ensure they’re upheld in practice. 

The Charter of Fundamental Rights guarantees freedom of expression and free access to information for all Europeans. And the EU has gone further in turning these principles into concrete action.

This commitment is reflected also in direct support by the EU for those who bring these freedoms to life. Through its funding programmes, the EU helps people protect their freedom of expression by supporting projects that advance culture and free expression, particularly through the Creative Europe programme.

Online, the Digital Services Act ensures that large platforms cannot arbitrarily remove or suppress content in the EU, and requires transparency around the decisions that shape what you see. For example, if a social media platform removes your post or suspends your account, it must explain why and provide a way for you to challenge that decision.

And through our Culture Compass for Europe, we are addressing the challenges faced by the culture and creative sectors and industries in Europe, such as restrictions on artistic expression, the precarious livelihoods of artists and the impact of AI.

^{Sources: Eurobarometer, December 2023}