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Instead, the press has established a fully independent body to police its activities, known as the Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso). It will be able to impose fines of up to 1 million.

Vincent Peyrgne, chief executive of the association, said that the government's plans for press regulation could have "far-reaching consequences across the globe".

He said: "Any threats to the independence of journalism in Britain could be used by repressive regimes worldwide to justify their own controls over the press.

"We will endeavour to investigate all elements that threaten the United Kingdom's position as a bastion for free and independent media with the same rigour as we have approached other international press freedom hot spots in nearly 70 years of defending freedom of expression worldwide."

The organisation's missions are normally reserved for regimes where there are severe concerns about censorship, including Ethiopia, Libya, Yemen and Burma.

The delegation will also speak to freedom of expression and civil society groups, professional bodies, various industry representatives and academics.

The mission will include representatives of newspapers in Denmark, Norway, Finland, Canada, the USA and Pakistan. The delegation hopes to publish its UK report in February.

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'Repressive regimes' could use press regulations to justify censorship