The Guardian announces launch of new European edition

The Guardian says the European edition will be a new destination for the Guardian’s digital readers in Europe and beyond, providing a dedicated English-language front to the website and app for a uniquely-Guardian take on Europe and the world. The new edition becomes the Guardian’s fifth, and the first to launch since 2015, alongside its UK, US, Australia and international editions.

The ten newly-announced editorial roles build on the Guardian’s well-established network of European correspondents, adding a Scandinavia correspondent, several new editors, a community affairs correspondent, specialist reporters for environment, culture and sport, and leading columnists, continued the publisher.

• Lizzy Davies becomes European news editor, heading up the Guardian’s news and current affairs coverage across the region as part of the existing international desk operation. Joining the digital editors' team are Harry Borg, Alessia Manzoni and Lucy Campbell as homepage editors of the Guardian’s new Europe edition, with the Guardian also due to appoint a dedicated European live blogger to lead live coverage of the continent, connecting in real time with readers around major events as they unfold. Separately, Kirsty McEwen is appointed deputy digital editor.
• Miranda Bryant becomes Scandinavia correspondent, covering Norway, Sweden and Denmark. The appointment enhances the geographical reach of the Guardian’s rigorous reporting of Europe with correspondents now spanning Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Ireland, Russia, Ukraine, Eastern and Central Europe.
• Ashifa Kassam becomes community affairs correspondent for Europe, reporting on the social, political and economic experiences of diverse communities on the continent. The position builds on her previous stints as a correspondent for the Guardian in Canada and Spain.
• Ajit Niranjan joins as the Guardian’s new environment correspondent for Europe. He previously worked as a climate reporter for German public broadcaster DW News and freelanced for other outlets. Ajit will be based between Brussels and Berlin, covering the climate and nature crises, green politics and extreme weather in the EU and beyond.
• Philip Oltermann becomes culture editor for Europe, covering and commissioning stories on arts, entertainment and cultural trends from across the continent, and brings extensive experience reporting on Germany as the Guardian’s Berlin bureau chief since 2016.
• Nick Ames becomes European sport correspondent. Currently one of the Guardian’s football correspondents, he has delivered in-depth reporting on the sport from Ukraine to Qatar. He will now broaden his remit to deepen coverage of the continent’s biggest sports stories and their social and political impact, particularly as the Paris 2024 Olympics and the Euro 2024 football championships in Germany approach.

Supported by this editorial investment, the Guardian’s says its new European edition will tell compelling stories and highlight developing themes from across the continent, bringing Europe to the world and the world to Europe for Guardian readers.

Katharine Viner, editor-in-chief, Guardian News & Media says: “The Guardian has always been deeply committed to reporting on Europe, with readers on the continent telling us how they come to the Guardian for a perspective they can’t find anywhere else, or to follow coverage of key issues that are important to them such as the climate crisis, technology, migration and events in Ukraine. Today we are doubling down on our commitment to Europe by expanding our reporting even further with talented new journalists and announcing a dedicated new digital edition for European readers that aims to provide clarity on Europe for readers around the world.”

Anna Bateson, chief executive officer, Guardian News & Media says: “In Europe the Guardian has a deeply engaged readership and fast-growing revenues, and we believe there is significant opportunity to grow further internationally, engaging more deeply with our diverse, global audience. We have ambitious plans to build on our growing European audience, to serve them better and persuade both readers and advertisers to support the Guardian’s world-class journalism.”

European readers are now the Guardian’s most engaged audience group outside of the UK, expanded the publisher, representing a strong share of its global readership and supporter growth. In recent years, average monthly page views per unique browser have almost doubled, and traffic is up significantly with over 250 million page views from Europe last year (up 129% vs. 2016) and reaching nearly 25 million monthly unique browsers (up 41% vs. 2016). The Guardian’s European audience is its third largest after the UK and the US, with recurring digital support from the continent seeing steady growth; three and half times larger than it was in 2016.

The 2022 EF EPI Index, which maps English skills by country in Europe, notes that proficiency is high and growing across the continent – estimated at 240 million – highlighting a need for trusted, independent English-language news that connects with European readers.

Further details on the Guardian’s Europe edition will be announced in the coming months, says the publisher. Readers can sign up to the Guardian’s This is Europe newsletter to receive the latest news and updates closer to launch.