Presentation of Agence France Presse
AFP is an independent news agency, originally created as a public institution but since 1957 has had the status of sui generis an independent private law body. Heiress of the Havas agency, it is today one of the three major global news agencies, the only European.
With 2,400 employees from 100 different nationalities, deployed in 151 countries through 201 offices, AFP provides information on all media (text, photo, video, infographic, audio). It is the only world agency that produces original and complete information in French, with a goal of international reach that also requires producing in the main languages used in the world: French, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic. Its clients are media from around the world, but also businesses, institutions and digital platforms. Its main source of funding is the subscriptions of its clients and the Agency also receives public support for its general interest missions.
Governance
AFP is administered by a Board of Directors chaired by the President and CEO. In addition to the President, it includes five representatives of the directors of French companies publishing daily newspapers appointed by the most representative professional organizations. Two representatives of the national programme societies, three representatives of the Agency’s public service users, including the Ministry of Culture, three AFP staff representatives and five individuals appointed by the Agency’s Board of Governors because of their knowledge of media and digital technologies and their economic and management skills. The Agency’s current President and CEO is Mr. Fabrice Fries, who was reappointed in November 2022.
Missions of general interest
Under the terms of the Law No. 57-32 of 10 January 1957 with the status of Agence France Presse, this mission consists for the agency to search, both in France and abroad, for "elements of complete and objective information", and:
- not to take into account “any influences or considerations likely to compromise the accuracy or objectivity of the information, or to fall under the control of an ideological, political or economic group”;
- “develop its activities and improve its organization with a view to providing French and foreign users with accurate, impartial and trustworthy information on a regular and uninterrupted basis”;
- and “to ensure the existence of a network of institutions that confer upon it the character of a global information organization”.
These missions, defined more precisely and concretely in a contract of objectives and means (COM) concluded every five years between the State and AFP, are divided around the following five main objectives:
- ensure a dense network of establishments allowing AFP to have a “global reach”;
- ensure the ongoing collection and processing of information;
- ensure the production of complete information for French and foreign users, in French and in the main languages used in the world;
- ensuring accurate, impartial and trustworthy information (requirements for objectivity and independence);
- ensure regular and uninterrupted dissemination of information.
The next COM will cover the period 2024-2028.
Financial relations between the State and AFP
The public funding of the agency is based on two contributions entered in the State Budget Programme 180 and framed by annual financial agreements:
- financial compensation for missions of general interest (provided for by the law of 13 January 1957 on the statute of the AFP).
- State commercial subscriptions (governed by a subscription agreement signed in September 2015).
The total amount presented in the initial 2023 Finance Bill is renewed from previous years, namely €135 million, including €113.3 million as compensation for the Agency’s general interest missions and €21.7 million for the payment of state commercial subscriptions.
By decision of 27 March 2014, the European Commission concluded that existing aid to AFP was compatible in the form of compensation for a service of general economic interest, subject to the introduction of a number of useful measures to which the French authorities have responded.
As part of the process of re-notifying the European Commission of the General Economic Interest Service entrusted to AFP, the Directorate-General for Media and Cultural Industries (DGMIC) organized, from 30 November 2022 to 13 January 2023, a public consultation, a summary of the results of which can be consulted here.
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