Last Call for Entries: European Press Prize 2026 Invites Journalists Across Europe

The deadline for submitting entries to the European Press Prize is approaching, with the window remaining open until 23:59 CET on December 14

The initiative highlights the core idea behind the Prize: journalism begins with close attention to people, facts and events that shape public understanding. At a time when information moves quickly and uncertainty often prevails, journalists continue to slow the pace just enough to examine what matters, to ask additional questions and to verify every detail.

Today’s media environment is challenging, and maintaining accuracy and fairness has become even more demanding. Reliable reporting competes with confusion, and public trust requires constant effort. Despite these pressures, journalists across Europe continue their work in newsrooms of all sizes and across all formats, producing reporting that clarifies complex issues, encourages informed debate and strengthens democratic resilience.

The European Press Prize was created to support this mission. It aims to acknowledge and encourage independent journalism, particularly as shrinking space for free reporting and rising pressures on the profession make such work increasingly difficult. By celebrating depth, accuracy and editorial independence, the Prize reinforces the principle that trustworthy journalism is essential to open societies and accountable governance.

The broader European Press Prize Community reflects this commitment: a network of journalists working across borders, languages and cultures who support one another and demonstrate that Europe’s diversity is a strength for the media landscape as a whole. In a moment marked by political uncertainty and rapid change, independent reporting plays a crucial role in helping societies navigate complexity without fear and maintain a shared factual foundation.

The 2026 edition of the Prize invites entries from journalists everywhere in Europe, regardless of whether they work independently or within established outlets. Eligible submissions include pieces published between December 1, 2024 and December 31, 2025. Work may be entered in five categories: Distinguished Reporting, Investigative Reporting, Innovation, Migration Journalism and Public Discourse. Entries can be submitted in their original language, accompanied by an English translation, including machine-generated translations, and should not exceed 5,000 words. The submission period remains open until December 14, 2025 at 23:59 CET.

Key Information

• Deadline: 14 December 2025

• Who can apply: Journalists in and from Europe

• More details: Categories, eligibility, and submission process are explained here: https://www.europeanpressprize.com/before-you-enter/

Taking part means joining a continent-wide community of reporters who share the belief that clarity, integrity and curiosity matter. While the future may be unpredictable, journalists can shape how societies face it, through work that informs, explains and grounds public life in fact.