Entries now open for 50,000 Euro European Press Prize

Entries are now open for the European Press Prize, which offers each winner of five categories 10,000 Euros.

Judges this year include one of Spain's most famous journalists, Juan Luis Cebrian, founding editor of El Pais in Madrid and now chief executive of the Prisa media group.

The chairman of the judges is Sir Harold Evans, editor at large for Reuters and once editor of the Sunday Times in London. The other judges are Yevgenia Albats from the New Times in Moscow, Sylvie Kauffman from Le Monde in Paris and Joergen Ejboel, former editor of Jyllands Posten in Copenhagen.

Sir Harold said: "The very best in the European journalism our prize honours is exemplified by Juan Luis Cebrian, whom we welcome to our panel. He risked all in the way he roused Spain against the military coup of 1981. His leadership at El Pais is one of the most inspiring demonstrations of the moral energy brought to democracy by honest news reporting, opinion writing of integrity, and sheer, downright enterprise."

Cebrian said: "Journalism may be in flux, but quality journalism remains the basis of all our democratic freedoms. The foundations behind these prizes are bent on building something that salutes and encourages that quality. It's an honour to be able to help them".

Entries open today (9 September) and close on 29 November. There are five 10,000 euro categories: for investigative reporting, distinguished writing, commentary and innovation a special judges' prize. Last year's winners came from Greece, Denmark, Britain and the Ukraine.

The organisations that joined together to begin the prizes are the Stichting Democratie en Media and Veronika foundations in Amsterdam, the Guardian Foundation in London, the JP/Politiken Foundations in Copenhagen, and the Reuters Foundation, together with the Media Development Loan Fund based in Prague. The judging panel will make its final choices known on March 17 at a special prize-giving ceremony in London.

More details on the EPP website.