The Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism is awarded each year around 16 October, the day of the journalist's assassination. The Prize rewards, every year, outstanding journalism that promotes or defends the core principles and values of the European Union, such as human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, rule of law, and human rights. The Prize is open to professional journalists and teams of professional journalists of any nationality who can submit in-depth pieces that have been published or broadcast by media based in one of the 27 EU countries. The aim is to support and highlight the importance of professional journalism in safeguarding human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and human rights.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said: “Nine years since Daphne Caruana Galizia was brutally murdered, journalists around the world continue to be intimidated, threatened, and assassinated. The European Parliament stands by them in their fight for justice. The prize bearing Daphne’s name remains a powerful symbol of this unwavering commitment. It honours those courageous individuals who dare to bring the truth to light even in the darkest times. Free speech matters, and without press freedom, democracy itself cannot be safeguarded”.
An independent jury composed of representatives of the press and civil society from the 27 member states, as well as representatives of the main European Associations of Journalism, will choose the winning entry. The award ceremony takes place each year around 16 October, the date Daphne Caruana Galizia was assassinated. The prize, including the €20 000 prize money, demonstrates the European Parliament’s strong support for investigative journalism and the importance of a free press. Over the last few years, Parliament has warned about attempts both in the EU and beyond to undermine media pluralism.
Parliament has repeatedly denounced attempts to limit media freedom, and especially attacks against journalists, in any form and wherever they may come from, most recently in its April 2026 reports taking stock of developments in the areas of fundamental rights and the rule of law. MEPs were instrumental in the effort that culminated in the European Media Freedom Act. This landmark regulation, aimed at protecting media freedom and journalists' safety and independence, entered into force in May 2024 and saw most of its provisions applicable in August 2025. For years, Parliament also pushed for rules to tackle malicious litigation, in view of protecting journalists and civil society from strategic lawsuits seeking to silence critical voices, and the EU’s anti-SLAPP directive, approved in February 2024, must be transposed by member states by 7 May 2026.
Journalists can submit their article(s) online at https://daphnejournalismprize.eu/ by 31 July 2026, midnight (CET).
