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About us

Think-and-do–tank for a healthy media sector in Europe

Media sustainability | Innovation training | Media policy

Europe’s MediaLab (Fondation EURACTIV) was established in 2003 as a Belgian not-for-profit organisation and recognised as a “Fondation d’utilité publique”. As a think-and-do tank, our core values are media independence, transparency, mutlilingualism, pro- European, and constructive. Our goals:

  • Support a healthy media sector by fostering a more proactive EU media policy
  • Advocate for media independence, media pluralism and language diversity in Europe
  • Support media coverage of EU policy both at a national and local level
  • Promote media innovation projects for media and related stakeholders

In turn, this will contribute to a healthy democracy and the emergence of a European public sphere. What makes us unique is that we work as a hub at the intersection of news media, Europe and democracy:

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We support philanthropic projects which are in line with EU freedoms and fundamental rights. Read more about this initiative: Joint press release: DAFNE and EFC welcome EESC call for an enabling environment for philanthropy

Our team

Thierry Leroy,  Secretary General

Public Projects Finance Director at EURACTIV Media Network, he has a vast experience in financial management, and EU-funded projects, notably gained as Treasurer of the Alliance française de Bruxelles-Europe.   +32 (0)2 226 58 27    secgen@euractiv.com

Marc Sundermann, Senior Fellow and Director

He has worked for Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA since January 2012, when he joined the Bertelsmann Brussels Liasion Office. In 2018 he became Senior Vice President Government Relations (until February 2020). Previously, he was senior legal counsel for Europe at the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. fondationdirector@euractiv.com

Christophe Leclercq, Chairman

Founder of EURACTIV media network and executive chairman of Europe’s MediaLab (Fondation EURACTIV), he is also an adviser and commentator, former DG Competition official and McKinsey consultant. He speaks and comments in EN, FR, DE about several topics, such as public affairs, media policy, and languages.  @LeclercqEU

Giulia Andretta, Communications Executive

She joined Europe’s MediaLab (Fondation EURACTIV) in 2019 as Policy and Advocacy Assistant, then Communications Executive.  Previously, she worked at the Italian Culture Institute in Copenhagen. She holds a master’s degree in law and she is currently specialising in Communications, Institutional Relations and Lobby.  giulia.andretta@euractiv.com

Antonia Loncar, Senior Communications and Project Manager

Antonia Loncar is a communication professional working in the field of EU communications since 2013, specialised in EU project management, strategic communication and content development for web and social media. Native Croatian, she speaks fluent English, Spanish and Italian, and is currently learning French.     +32 (0)2 788 3680 antonia.loncar@euractiv.com

Administration

Our governance

Europe’s MediaLab (Fondation EURACTIV) is guided by an Orientation Committee and an Advisory Council composed of trusted media and policy experts:

• 10 Board Members: list as of May 2021

• 50 Advisory Council members: list as of October 2018 

• 27 Orientation Committee members: list as of October 2018

Board members

Bart Becks, EURACTIV Executive Chairman
Christophe Leclercq, Founder of EURACTIV
Sharon Leclercq-Spooner, EPPA
Marc Sundermann, Europe's MediaLab
Gilles Vanderpooten, Reporters d'Espoirs
Dan Luca, EURACTIV
Karolina Zbytniewska, EURACTIV
Irene Braam, Bertelsmann Foundation
Eva Simekova, CIVITTA

Funding

Our diversified funding

Our think-and-do-tank has two main sources of income, namely:

  1. Funds awarded by grant-making organisations, for instance Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), and the Robert Bosch Foundation. In addition, we have received public grants from the EU institutions for communication and demonstration projects, for instance “EU Community” (EurActory & PolicyLine), “Open Discovery Space”, “Citadel on the Move” and STYLE.
  2. Payments (for services provided) by media organisations, notably members of the EURACTIV Network and EURACTIV.com.

Costs mainly include salaries and associated charges, rent, depreciation and utility charges, communications as well as other routine office administration expenses. The complete annual accounts of Europe’s MediaLab (Fondation EURACTIV) are filed with the Belgian Central Bank, as required under Europe’s MediaLab (Fondation EURACTIV) statutes (2020 Annual Accounts: summary since 2015).