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ROLA RADY EUROPY W DZIEDZINIE MEDIÓW MASOWYCH

composed of experts designated by the governments of member States of the Council of Europę. CDMM is assisted by a number of subordinate bodies (Committees of Experts, Groups of Specialists). Their work is guided by the ideas enshrined in: the Statute of the Council of Europę (1949), the European Convention of Humań Rights (1950), the Declaration on the Freedom of Expression and Information (1982) and the European Convention on Transfron-tier Television (1989). Specific mention must also be madę of the organisation of the European Ministerial Conferences on Mass Media Policy, which provide the occasion for the competent ministers to discuss issues of common interest, to work out concerted policy gu-idelines on topical problems and to lay down the futurę of the European co-operation in the media field within the Council of Europę.

The author cocludes that mass media field has growing meaning in the programme of ac-tivities of the Council of Europę. The most important decisions of this organisation may be found in the following areas: 1) mass media, democracy and human rights; 2) development of the European audio-visual landscape; 3) the protection of copyright and neighbouring rights in the media sector. Additionally it is worth to notę the Vienna Declaration of Heads of the State and Government of the member States (1993) which affirmed that guaranteed freedom of expression and of the media must remain decisive criteria for assessing any applica-tion for membership of the Council of Europę. Freedom of information is not only a funda-mental right per se, but also facilitates of other fundamental rights.