SECTOR 1 1.11 Media legislation evolves from a meaningful consultation among state institutions, citizens and interest groups In general, it was assessed that consultations are carried out, although there is a feeling that they are only done to legitimise the pretences of political power holders. There is no law for the participation of the public in the legislative process in Mozambique. The business sector and a few CSOs have been involved in a process that has been running its course for a number of years – aiming at the proposition and subsequent approval of such a law in the country. However, it is still non-existent. As already discussed, Decree nº 40/2018 of 23 August (on licensing and endorsement of media corporations, including community radios and the accreditation of national and foreign correspondents of foreign media outlets) was approved without any consultation, which seems to be an unmistakable retrocession to the modest setbacks that had already been registered. In 2017, the Audio-visual and Cinema Law was approved (Law nº 01/2017 of 6 January) also without consultation, although it introduces a new tax over private audiovisual media outlets. In this context, the panellists underlined the perception of a certain absence of media institutions, such as the CNCS, which has a constitutional mandate to defend the freedom of the media and right to information through the media. Scores: Individual scores: 21 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓✓ ✓✓✓ ✓ Average score: Score of previous years: 2.8 2005=n/a; 2007=n/a; 2009=4.1; 2011=4.6; 2014=4.9 Overall Score for Sector 1: 2.8 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER MOZAMBIQUE 2018