The Editors' Code of Practice is the foundation stone of the UK press self-regulatory system. It sets out the rules that the industry has drawn up voluntarily and pledged to accept.

It is by those self-imposed standards that newspapers and magazines can be held to account via the independent adjudicating body.

The Code is now being reviewed by the Editors' Code of Practice Committee, which is being restructured to include a stronger lay membership, as well as editors representing the national and regional newspaper and magazine industry.

You can take part in that process.

For, while the Committee has responsibility for writing, reviewing and revising the Code, it does not do so in isolation. It conducts an annual review, inviting suggestions for improvements from the public, civil society and government. Any changes to the Code have, finally, to be ratified not only by the industry, but also by the independent adjudicating authority.