United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (debate)
President
The next item is the joint debate:
on the Council statement on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities;
on the report by Mrs Jeleva, on behalf of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, on the proposal for a Council decision concerning the conclusion, by the European Community, of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - C6-0116/2009 -;
on the report by Mrs Jeleva, on behalf of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, on the proposal for a Council decision concerning the conclusion, by the European Community, of the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - C6-0117/2009 -.
Petr Nečas
President-in-Office of the Council. - (CS) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to begin by thanking the rapporteur Rumiana Jeleva for the two excellent reports she has produced. I expect my comments on the reports and their conclusions will be relatively brief.
On 11 June 2007, at the first informal meeting of ministers on questions of disability, the Council adopted a clear position supporting the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. At this meeting the Council approved the UN Convention as a basic step concerning support, protection and adequate implementation of human rights and basic freedoms for all persons with disabilities. At the same time the ministers made a commitment to a further development of relevant policies with the aim of securing a full implementation of the Convention. They called on the Commission to ensure that the new priorities of the European Action Plan in the area of disability contribute to the effective implementation of the UN Convention.
In its resolution concerning activities linked to the European Year of Equal Opportunities in 2007, adopted in December 2007, the Council called on the Commission and the Member States to continue with the process of signing, concluding and ratifying the UN Convention in accordance with their respective powers. On 10 March 2008 the Council adopted a resolution on the position of disabled persons in the European Union. In the resolution the Council called on the Member States and the Commission to ensure, in accordance with their respective powers, that persons with disabilities were able to access all of their human rights. This includes the ratification, the conclusion and the implementation of the UN Convention including common European solutions within the framework of a managed and coordinated approach to the implementation of this convention. The Council subsequently received from the Commission a draft Council decision on the conclusion of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Physical Disabilities by the European Community. The review of this proposal began at the end of last year and the Council is still dealing with it.
Ladies and gentlemen, as your report emphasised, a number of important questions arise from the report in connection with authority and these questions require further discussion in the Council. However, the Presidency has made a commitment to try and complete the negotiations as soon as possible, in order for the Convention to be concluded soon by the Community. I would like to thank Parliament for the interest it has shown in this topic. The Presidency will keep you informed about progress in the talks that are underway in the Council.
Olli Rehn
Member of the Commission. - Mr President, the Disability Convention is the first human rights convention that the European Community has signed alongside its Member States. This was a necessary step to allow the full implementation of the Convention in the European Union, including in policy areas within the responsibility of the European Community.
As both the Convention and its optional protocol came into force one year ago, on 3 May 2008, a swift conclusion by both the Member States and the Community is now a priority. Indeed, seven Member States have already done so.
I want to express my gratitude to Parliament and in particular to the rapporteur, Ms Jeleva, for their support for the European Community's conclusion of this UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its optional protocol. I am delighted to see that Parliament can endorse both proposals.
Since the Convention falls within the shared competence of the Community and the Member States and is also binding on the EU institutions, I am glad to see that they are ready to work together to ensure this Convention is implemented properly.
The goals of the Convention are very important overall to facilitate a positive impact on the lives of our fellow citizens with disabilities, to improve the consistency of the legal interpretation of certain provisions within the Community's competence, and to ensure uniform minimum protection of the rights of persons with disabilities across the European Union with regard to the obligations stemming from the Convention.
We need to work together to protect the human rights of persons with disabilities, and an effective implementation of the UN Convention will do just that and meet that objective. I count on us working together towards this common goal.
Rumiana Jeleva
rapporteur. - (BG) Minister, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, today when we are discussing the European Parliament's reports on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, its Optional Protocol and the statement on these two documents from the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, I would like to remind you that disabled people account for more than 10% of the population of the European Union and the world. According to data from the World Health Organization, this percentage is still growing due to the increase in the overall size of the Earth's population, the advances made in medicine and the global ageing trend.
This UN Convention which we are looking at today is the first in the area of human rights which is open to accession and formal approval by the European Community. This also marks a unique first step in the activities of the European Parliament. The Convention's objective is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, while at the same time respecting their human dignity.
I am extremely pleased that during the discussion in the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, we worked together in a spirit of goodwill and cooperation. I think that it is very important that my colleagues and I in our parliamentary committee decided to say a little bit more than a brief 'yes' in support of the Convention and Protocol reports and prepared a proposal for a resolution.
Fellow Members, the European Parliament has always consistently supported every effort made by the Community in drafting, implementing and enforcing legislation relating to equal opportunities and non-discrimination against people with disabilities. When the issue of disabled people is raised, our political differences disappear when it comes to the ultimate aim, namely, for us to ensure a higher quality of life and work. There are, of course, different views about the way in which we can achieve our objective, but with its almost unanimous decision - only one vote was not a 'yes' - the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs proved that differences must be overcome about the way to achieve sensible, long-term and sustainable solutions.
Fellow Members, I believe that our decisions, the decisions of the European Parliament, are of huge significance to people with disabilities in the European Union. At this point, I would like draw your attention to the fact that the competencies which stem from the implementation of the UN Convention and the Optional Protocol are divided between the Community and its Member States. The implementation of the Optional Protocol is important from the point of view of offering the opportunity to individuals or a group of people to inform the UN Committee for people with disabilities about any infringement of their rights arising from the Convention. It is important to emphasise that this option will be available after national legal protection instruments have been exhausted.
As expressed in the Optional Protocol report, we will require the European Commission and Member States to inform us every three years about its application in accordance with their relevant areas of competence. I think that, as the only European institution with members elected directly by the EU's citizens, the European Parliament has the right and main responsibility for respecting the rights of all its citizens.
I want to emphasise that when we started working on the documents at the end of 2008, only four Member States - Austria, Spain, Slovenia and Hungary - had ratified the Convention and Optional Protocol, while another three have done the same - Sweden, Germany and Italy - between then and now.
I believe that with today's debate and I hope with our vote in favour tomorrow, we will kill two birds with one stone: we will approve the Commission's proposals for Council decisions and we will give Member States a positive, encouraging signal to continue the process of ratification and/or accession.
I would like to end by once again thanking all my colleagues who were involved in the task of drafting the reports and the proposal for a resolution. I would also like to thank my colleagues from the European Commission for their helpful cooperation, as well as the representatives of organisations for people with disabilities for the suggestions which they made.
Hiltrud Breyer
draftsman of the opinion of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality. - (DE) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, women and girls with disabilities experience multiple discrimination and disability has very clear gender-specific dimensions. We must make disabled women and girls more visible and, above all, we must ensure that they are given greater consideration at EU level.
The European Parliament made very important points clear to me in the resolution on the situation of women with disabilities adopted in 2007. The specific situation of women and girls must also be given full consideration when implementing the UN Convention. Regrettably, so far only 4 EU Member States have ratified the Convention and the Protocol. We need gender mainstreaming in EU policies on people with disabilities, especially for access to work and integration in the workplace. Education, anti-discrimination and the right to work must be secured.
The main problem is violence and we must very clearly show it a red card. Women and girls with disabilities are at very great risk of violence, including sexual violence, both within and outside the home. Often their right to sexuality and maternity is restricted or there are forced abortions and sterilisations. The Member States should therefore pass legislation to protect them from violence and give better support to victims.
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Rovana Plumb
on behalf of the PSE Group. - (RO) Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, first of all, I would like to thank my fellow Member, Mrs Jeleva, for her effective cooperation on this report, as well as other fellow Members and the associations of people with disabilities.
I would like to emphasise that we need to provide clear protection for disadvantaged groups, all the more so as our debate is taking place at a time when the impact of the economic crisis is being felt.
I would like to stress that the European Union promotes the active inclusion of people with disabilities and their full participation in society. This is the approach at the heart of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This is why we are calling for these international documents to be ratified urgently by European Union Member States, as well as for the active involvement of disabled people and organisations representing them in the process of monitoring and implementing these documents. We also urge Member States and the Community's executive to ensure free access and the distribution...
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Elizabeth Lynne
on behalf of the ALDE Group. - Mr President, I would firstly like to thank the rapporteur for all her cooperation in the passage of this report through the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs. I was rapporteur, as you know, on the UN Convention on behalf of the European Parliament in 2003 as the UN Convention was being drafted.
We have since achieved a legally binding convention which, I believe, is historic. That is a milestone in itself, but what I said in 2003 I will say again. If the EU is to have any credibility in this debate, it must lead by example. International human rights treaties are of no use whatsoever if countries do not sign, ratify and implement. Yes, all Member States have signed, but they have not all signed the protocol. Most of them have not ratified, and they certainly have not implemented - something we have called for in numerous parliamentary reports.
The UK Government - my own government - for example, has again missed its own deadline of last year for ratifying the Convention, which is an absolute disgrace. To my mind this is shameful. I would like to see the Commission and Parliament keeping up the pressure on Member States to ratify and implement. This Convention has the potential to empower millions of disabled people in the EU. We must now do all we can to make it a reality.
Elisabeth Schroedter
on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. - (DE) Mr President, Commissioner, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, ladies and gentlemen, with the Convention, the right to protection and recognition of their human dignity and to full participation in society has been secured internationally for disabled persons. It is now all the more important for the Council to submit the ratification act to the UN no later than this year's International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
At the same time, we call on all the Member States to ratify the Optional Protocol, so that the UN Convention acquires an international complaints committee. I can only tell you how important this is with reference to my country. Until now, disabled persons have been refused equal access to education. Only 15% of disabled children are integrated into the school system. Claims to access for disabled persons are circumvented in my country with translation tricks. That is why we must protest against the fact that this sort of thing is still happening and safeguard full social participation for disabled persons in all the EU Member States in future.
Richard Howitt
Mr President, I am very proud to have been at the launch at Sadler's Wells in 2001 of the campaign for the Convention. I am very proud that Members across this Parliament have played a leading role in supporting the creation of the Convention. I am very proud to have been with the Human Rights Subcommittee in Geneva at the Human Rights Commission and Council to lobby for its agreement. I am very proud that the European Commission and the European Communities have signed up to a human rights instrument for the first time. I am very proud that it is the swiftest-agreed convention in the history of the United Nations, but most of all I am very proud that disabled people and disabled people's organisations have played a full part in its consideration and its agreement.
Our support for ratification this week should make clear three points. Firstly, in becoming the eighth ratifier, the European Union is saying to the EU Member States that they too should ratify and implement, including the optional protocol.
Secondly, Commissioner, we and the European Commission, across all its competencies, should screen existing policies and procedures to make sure that we comply with the Convention and act accordingly.
(The President cut off the speaker.)
Ilda Figueiredo
(PT) I too welcome the fact that we are here to debate and adopt the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and, at the same time, to call for its Optional Protocol to also be taken into account by the Member States.
This represents a significant step forwards in defending and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities, with a view to respecting their dignity. However, it is not enough for countries to have signed this Convention or even for them to be prepared to take its Optional Protocol into account. These countries also now need to ratify this Convention and be prepared to apply the Convention and the Protocol as quickly as possible.
Petr Nečas
President-in-Office of the Council. - (CS) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I think we agree that although over the past years and decades the EU has made enormous progress in combating discrimination against persons with disabilities, the situation is still far from satisfactory. Today and every day, this month, this week, this very day thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of EU citizens with disabilities are suffering discrimination. They are discriminated against on the labour market, in the service sector, in transport. They are discriminated against through poorer access to public services and they are very often discriminated against in respect of access even to some basic public services such as education at every level. I am quite sure we agree that the main problem we are confronting in this area is the social exclusion of our fellow citizens with disabilities. To tackle this we need a whole series of legislative acts which will prevent discrimination, but at the same time we also need a functioning system of social services as a key instrument not only for limiting social exclusion but also for bringing about social inclusion. The greatest problem facing citizens with disabilities is of course their much higher levels of unemployment.
In the economic problems currently affecting the EU we all know that it is our fellow citizens with disabilities who are paying the highest price for the worsening situation on the labour market. The availability of employment opportunities is worse for them than in times of prosperity. They very often pay the price of having poorer qualification and education structures than the rest of the population, and this naturally has very negative consequences for their chances of integrating into the labour market. They very often face much worse access to education, to normal schools and educational institutions, as Mrs Schroedter correctly pointed out. I would also like to say that we are fully aware of multiple discrimination, which confronts many citizens with disabilities, as Mrs Breyer pointed out. And here I would like to say that the convention we are debating includes a specific article applying to women, so multiple discrimination has not been forgotten here. At this moment we must of course applaud the 7 states that have ratified the convention. They have set an example for other states which have yet to complete the procedure. The clear call from Mrs Lynne for the ratification process to be speeded up is important, but on the other hand we must respect the fact that ratification has rules, that these rules must be respected, that these rules are often very different in the various Member States and they have to be respected.
I would also like to applaud the statements we have heard today, for example from Mrs Plumb, who pointed out the major role of the voluntary sector partners in developing and implementing policies relating to our fellow citizens with disabilities which attempt to limit discrimination against them, to limit their social exclusion and to integrate them socially. I would only like to say that the Council has devoted great attention to this matter and that the Presidency is placing great emphasis on the participation of the voluntary sector partners. In the spirit of our motto, 'Europe without barriers', we have also invited all representatives of disabled persons to events connected with this issue. Under the sponsorship of the Presidency a series of events arranged by disability organisations have taken place.
I would like to mention the meeting of the Council of the European Disability Forum which took place in Prague between 28 February and 1 March 2009. Also this week, an international conference entitled 'Europe without Barriers' took place. It was set up by the Czech National Council for Persons with Disabilities. The conference was held directly under the auspices of the Presidency and constituted one of the Presidential events. As a participant I can confirm that the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was one of the main items on the conference agenda. The Presidency is determined to develop significant activities in this area, including regular contacts with voluntary sector representatives at a pan-European level.
I would like to end by pointing out the convergence of the European action plan on disability and the UN Convention, as well as the results achieved in implementing the action plan, which places special emphasis on dignity, fundamental rights, protection from discrimination, justice and social cohesion. It is now generally acknowledged that taking notice of the issue of disability is the key to resolving it. To this end the action plan on disability has urged and supported access to social services and it has increased access to goods and services. I firmly believe that the EU will continue with the positive steps it wants to take towards full social inclusion and full integration of fellow citizens with disabilities.
Olli Rehn
Member of the Commission. - Mr President, I would like once again to thank all who participated in the interesting debate, especially the rapporteur, Mrs Jeleva - especially for the important resolution that will be adopted in plenary tomorrow. I would also like to thank the Council for its reassurance that the Czech Presidency will strive towards a quick conclusion to the ratification and the whole process.
I would also like to thank Parliament for your recent support of the Commission's proposal for a horizontal anti-discrimination directive. The directive, if adopted by the Council - where unanimity is needed - will further consolidate the rights of people with disabilities at European level, which I trust is our common goal, both in the Council and in Parliament - certainly it is in the Commission.
Rumiana Jeleva
rapporteur. - (BG) Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank everyone for their participation and the views they have expressed. I would like to think that we can place today's debate in a wider context, specifically by making a connection with the fact that the UN Economic and Social Council adopted a decision last year, whereby the priority theme for the 2009-2010 review and policy cycles will be social integration.
A special place in this policy cycle for social integration is given to the World Program for Action Concerning Disabled Persons. I also believe that today's debate will spur the Member States on which have not yet ratified the Convention and/or Optional Protocol to do so in the foreseeable future. I am sure, and on this point I would like to agree with the Council, that the vote on the reports will help us take a positive step in the right direction.
The European Parliament must bear its responsibility for improving the conditions of people with disabilities. As was emphasised during this debate, we must really work tirelessly and exercise every possible control so that the legislation we produce will be enforced properly and that we are not responsible for a good legislative base and weak enforcement.
I would like to thank once again all fellow Members from the various political groups for their support, as well as my colleagues from the European Commission and the NGOs whom we worked with throughout the entire process.
President
I have received one motion for a resolution tabled in accordance with Rule 103(2) of the Rules of Procedure.
The debate is closed.
The vote will take place on Friday 24 April 2009.
Written statements (Rule 142)
Filip Kaczmarek
The rights of disabled people are broken regularly. Recently in my home town of Poznań an incident occurred which is symptomatic of this. A Member of the Polish national Parliament parked his car in a place reserved for the disabled. Paradoxically, this MP has a friend who is disabled. Why do I mention this? It is because no laws, conventions or documents will improve the situation of disabled people if public officials openly and with impunity break rules created specially to help the disabled to live and function. Conventions are of course very important, but equally important is genuine, dependable and full implementation. Disabled people are not happy with rights which they only have on paper. People with disabilities are counting on real changes which will give them equal opportunities. Thank you very much.


Protecting children using the Internet and other communication technologies (debate)
President
The next item is the report by Mrs Angelilli, on behalf of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a multiannual Community programme on protecting children using the Internet and other communication technologies - C6-0092/2008 -.
Roberta Angelilli
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank the Commission, the French Presidency and my fellow MEPs, first and foremost the draftsmen of the opinions, for their hard work in drafting a compromise text at first reading that will enable the 'Safer Internet' programme to enter into force at the planned time, that is from 1 January 2009.
The new programme for children using the Internet and other communication technologies, as we know, will be based on four main lines of action: reducing illegal or harmful content and combating harmful online behaviour; promoting a safer online environment, including through ad hoc technological instruments; information, participation and prevention to raise public awareness of the opportunities and risks associated with the use of online technologies; and, lastly, establishing a knowledge base to encourage cooperation and exchanges of good practice and information at international level.
The statistics speak for themselves, as Commissioner Reding is well aware: the age at which children access the Internet has dropped considerably. From as early as the age of 9 or 10, children are going online several times a week, and 75% of 12- to 15-year-olds in Europe use the Internet for roughly three hours a day, communicating through chat services, messaging and social networking sites.
The aim of the programme is not, of course, to criminalise the Internet in a catastrophic vision of new technologies; quite the contrary. Our objective is to provide suitable tools to better understand and navigate the world of new technologies, to grasp fully their positive potential, the opportunities they offer in terms of information, education and socialisation, while at the same time learning to protect oneself against abuse. For we cannot ignore the latest figures showing that 30% of young people have had at least one distasteful encounter online, at least one unpleasant experience in which the child has come across pornographic content, offensive or violent messages of various kinds or sexual advances or even content inciting violence or self-harm, suicide, anorexia or bulimia.
We cannot ignore the exponential increase in sites with child pornography material. We cannot fail to consider the data supplied by Interpol reporting that at least 500 000 new original child pornography images are put online each year. The Committee has also done well to highlight, among other things, three new trends: 'grooming', that is, the online soliciting of children through psychological manipulation aimed at contact in real life. 'Grooming' is particularly insidious because the advances appear to be 'softer'. No explicit sexual demands are made at first. The child is led on by the affectionate and confidential behaviour; not understanding the danger, they enjoy the exclusive relationship that develops, and so do not discuss it with anyone, least of all with their parents. It is therefore a highly dangerous situation because it is not perceived as such, and often ends in a meeting in person and in real abuse.
Another priority is 'cyberbullying', a form of bullying using the new technologies, in which the persecution of the victim is extended as they risk being tormented 24 hours a day via the web and mobile phones. And there is yet another problem: the technological gap between the generations. We have a generation of children born in the digital era - children who at five years old are competent users of videogames and can surf the Internet easily - and adults, their parents and teachers, many of whom do not even know how to turn on a computer or send a text message, or who use new technologies warily and with reluctance. It is therefore absolutely essential to narrow this gap.
The programme's objectives are ambitious, perhaps too ambitious given the available budget of EUR 55 million, but it is nonetheless a good starting point. As usual, Parliament has sought to provide a stimulus, with pioneering proposals that I will not go into now as they are in my report and I am almost out of time. I would like to conclude, Mr President, by emphasising that our obligation, both Parliament's and - I am convinced of this - the Commission's obligation, is never to let down our guard on these matters.
Viviane Reding
Member of the Commission. - Mr President, I would firstly like to thank the Parliament for addressing the Commission's proposal very promptly, allowing the programme to start as early as possible.
Secondly, I would like to thank the rapporteur, who has underlined the very important questions we have to tackle here. The uses and applications of the internet and mobile phones have multiplied greatly since they were first introduced. We now have interactive markets, and very young children - not only young adults - spend a large portion of their time online, sometimes even more than in front of the television. We have a situation where the parents do not know how to operate these new technologies or what their functions are.
I do not think we should be negative. The internet and mobile phones are a wonderful, exciting opportunity. However, having said this, we must not ignore the other side of the coin. In the real world there are risks associated with the use of the internet and mobiles phones, in particular for the more vulnerable part of our population - our children. These dangers - as the rapporteur has rightly underlined - range from harmful viewing content to harassment and bullying, all of which have become easier and more commonplace. Even worse, the internet has become a channel for sexual abuse. Despite joint efforts to fight the production and distribution of such terrible material, its volume is on the rise. That is why there is an urgent need to fight these negative and unacceptable practices.
The protection of children must be a shared responsibility. Of course, it starts in the family, but we have to enable families to help their children. It involves governments, industry, non-profit organisations and schools. This is precisely the goal of this new, safer internet programme. It will maintain what has been done in previous years regarding current internet protection but build on these successful activities and enhance the safety of children in the online environment of today. We know that these joint actions by governments, private organisations and the industry are a very good example of how Europe can have a direct impact on citizens' daily lives. More children use the internet at home or at school but parents and teachers are not necessarily well informed about the opportunities and the risks. That is why we will actively pursue our efforts towards creating a safer online environment for children by informing parents, empowering teachers and asking for coordinated action by national governments and educational societies.
We will, of course, retain the substance of the Commission's proposals, but Parliament has presented a whole series of amendments which provide a fuller description of one or more of the basic objectives and which seem to reflect the broad consensus within the Parliament. That is why the Commission can support the amendments put forward in Mrs Angelilli's report. They will then pave the way for a successful first-reading agreement with the Council. I am very confident that the compromise text for the programme, as submitted to you today, will be largely supported by Parliament and hopefully also by the second legislator.
Christopher Heaton-Harris
rapporteur for the opinion of the Committee on Culture and Education. - Mr President, it was a pleasure to work on this document. It is the first time I can honestly, genuinely say it was a pleasure to work with every single person on this dossier, especially the rapporteur, Mrs Angelilli, in this subject area.
I also took the liberty of consulting my constituents through newspaper ads about this particular dossier and so some of the comments I am going to make are based on what my constituents have said about this.
In the Committee on Culture we had a genuinely pleasurable debate about a serious subject with some quite well-informed contributions. We all realised that we did not need to reinvent the wheel. There is a lot of good practice already happening out there as regards self-regulation: mobile telephone companies like T-Mobile are leading the way in this area with the various checks and balances they put in before a child can access any content online, let alone dubious content. The ISPs and organisations such as the Internet Watch Foundation in the UK and INHOPE on a European basis are really working well together to fight the problems that exist with some of the online content and how minors across Europe are getting on to it.
There are problems, though. Grooming was mentioned by the rapporteur. There is no common definition of this even across Europe and it is not illegal in all Member States yet to groom a child in the way that Mrs Angelilli said. That is something that we should be looking at. Possibly Mrs Reding could suggest this at a Council meeting or two to some of the countries that are slacking in this area.
For me it was a pleasure to work on this in my committee; some great experiences were shared, and it is the first time I can welcome a budgetary measure in this House.
Titus Corlăţean
draftsman of the opinion of the Committee on Legal Affairs. - (RO) In view of the ever-changing audio-visual sector, we need not only to educate children, but also appropriately to inform parents and educators about the risks to children and to involve them in creating a situation where online information services can be used in a safe environment.
Based on the opinion of the Committee on Legal Affairs, our aim has been to devise a European strategy for combating online grooming and protecting the physical, mental and moral integrity of children which might be affected by their accessing inappropriate content via new communication media. We have requested the adoption of a quality label for online service providers so that users can easily check whether or not a certain provider subscribes to a code of conduct, as well as the creation of filters and effective age verification systems.
Crime in this area is not restricted by national borders. I believe that we need a coordinated approach with regard to the various national databases and need to connect them to Europol. At the moment, we cannot disregard, either, the economic risks involved in children using the Internet, which is why we requested mobile telephone services too to be mentioned explicitly as an area in which children need to be protected from abusive or harmful conduct. I would like to conclude by saying that we support the adoption of the report and congratulate the rapporteur.
Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou
draftsman of the opinion of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality. - (EL) Mr President, Commissioner, I think that the multiannual programme on protecting children using the Internet and other communication technologies is the European Union's head start in the global field of child protection. It is therefore an opportunity for us to congratulate the rapporteur of the European Parliament, because we too are part of this and are demonstrating our awareness.
In particular, as the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality, we stress in our opinion that consideration must always be given to the peculiarities of each gender, the participation of each gender, the knowledge and use of new technologies and the special protection which each gender needs separately and the protection from dangers which differ from one gender to another, from boys to girls, and which must be stated and analysed separately.
We also refer to protection for vulnerable groups, for vulnerable children exposed to the dangers of sexual abuse, harassment and bullying.
Another sector which we highlight is information for parents, carers and educators, whoever they may be. We also stress the need for research into greater child protection. We do, of course, know that you have carried out an impact assessment and held a public consultation on this. However, research must continue and must refer in particular to gender differences.
We also wish to emphasise the need to develop entrepreneurship, which must overcome the obstacles and dangers, address the dangers and continue, so that we have a Europe which is strong in development and in protecting its citizens.
Csaba Sógor
on behalf of the PPE-DE Group. - (HU) Thank you, Mr President. This report was tailor-made for me, since all four of my children surf the Net, and I am confronted with these worries on a daily basis. EU Member States are doing a great deal to make the World Wide Web more child-friendly, and we must not forget that as early as 1999 the Commission launched a 'Safer Internet+' programme that is still in force today. As we have heard, the programme is aimed at fighting against harmful and illegal content, and places great emphasis on increasing awareness about the use of the Internet, as well as on promoting the development of a safe online environment. To what has already been said I would like to add only that between 2001 and 2007, 20 000 children disappeared, 500 of whom were found.
Among the tasks listed, I would like to emphasise the fight against illegal content and combating harmful conduct online. In this area there are great deficiencies: not every EU Member State has a hotline where you can immediately report any illegal content you have come across or if you discover sites which try to groom children.
The other important thing we must not forget is that establishing a knowledge base will require greater and more effective cooperation among Member States. It is no accident that this programme devotes almost half of the EUR 55 million in funding to raising public awareness, since prevention is the best cure. In any case law enforcement agencies spend all their time tracking criminals, whether we are talking about software-related or any other type of crime. It is precisely for this reason that we would like to draw the attention of Member States to the fact that they could set aside funds of their own, in addition to the European Union's EUR 55 million, and could cooperate more effectively in implementing the programme laid out in this report. The Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats supports the approval of the report. Thank you very much.
Iliana Malinova Iotova
on behalf of the PSE Group - (BG) Thank you, Mr President. ladies and gentlemen. Mrs Angelilli, please allow me to extend to you my thanks and my heartfelt congratulations on your report. Now with the world financial crisis as the main issue, it is right that we are focusing all our attention on it. But somehow the issue of computer crime against children has been sidelined, even though we are aware that we may at any moment face a major threat in the form of a real pandemic of illegal web content. Just today the BBC broadcast a study, a survey it had conducted, which showed that three out of four children have come across websites with harmful content. This report does not just sound the alarm, but also offers a real raft of ideas on how to combat illegal web content. I worked on the issue as a shadow rapporteur. Last week I organised a round-table meeting back home in Bulgaria. It was attended by representatives of the police services, the non-governmental sector, the Child Protection Agency and mobile phone operators and suppliers. The theme of the meeting was this report.
We had an earnest, detailed discussion which reached a number of conclusions. Firstly, a lot of work needs to be done to raise awareness of the gravity and reality of this problem throughout European society. Unfortunately it is a problem that is frequently off our radar. Secondly, the upbringing of children should start with the family and the school, which in turn brings about the need for specialised instruction for parents and teachers. Individual efforts are doomed. What is very important is coordinated action, information exchange, the creation of a database and international cooperation. Many of the institutions I mentioned urged the European Commission to recommend that Member States increase penalties under national legislation for distributing, creating and trading in harmful and illegal content. They also recommended setting up a European legal framework for conducting criminal proceedings.
From now on there should be greater awareness of the programme among European institutions and citizens. Continuing to set up hotlines is also extremely important. It is also very important for us to cooperate with the police authorities and set up this database. A 'child-friendly' common label is needed to help parents and children recognise safe sites. I am convinced that the programme will continue after 2013 and that there will be further programmes in the European Union.
Ewa Tomaszewska
Mr President, freedom of use of the Internet, mobile telephones and other kinds of communication technology is very valuable for adults, but may prove harmful to children, because the latter are not fully mature and lack the necessary experience. The Internet is an extremely useful tool for us all, yet it has been exploited to set up sites for the exchange of paedophile and pornographic material, and also used to attempt to contact minors. The same is true of mobile telephony.
Other less extreme activities may also be harmful. Advertising of unhealthy foodstuffs on television and the Internet targeted at children impacts negatively on their health. It may also lead to family disputes and result in inappropriate eating habits within peer groups. The House recently debated issues relating to obesity and overweight in children. Spending many hours a day in front of a computer monitor or television screen reduces a child's physical activity and is detrimental to his or her proper physical development. On average children spend three hours a day in this way, but many actually spend much longer in front of a screen. The aggressive behaviour presented in television programmes has a negative psychological effect on children.
It is therefore very important to implement the programme aimed at ensuring responsible use of new communication technologies by children and young people. I congratulate the rapporteur and the European Commission on tackling this issue.
Irena Belohorská
- (SK) As one of the co-authors of the report on the strategy on children's rights I am delighted that we are now debating in this House a bill on the protection of children who use the Internet and other communications technologies. The Internet is a classic example of something which is can greatly benefit people, but which can be harmful to society when exploited by criminals.
Every day we hear how children are lured and abused through the Internet and led into prostitution, paedophilia and pornography. It is therefore the duty of everyone, starting with parents of course, to explain to children the rules for using and not abusing the Internet, as well as the risks it brings. Children are attracted by computers from a very young age. We adults often envy them their technical skills, but in their childish naivety they can easily be abused.
I am thankful that this House is prioritising activities of this kind, and I support accelerating the proposed programme so that implementation can get under way by January 2009.
Inger Segelström
(SV) Mr President, I want to begin by thanking Mrs Angelilli for a constructive report in which she followed up the decisions from the children's strategy. Last week I presented a report on young people and the media - a major investigation into young people's media habits, in which we also discuss parents' views. What is new is that a majority of young people in Sweden have their own computers in their rooms and that TV sets have been thrown out.
There is a big difference between girls and boys when it comes to what they use the Internet for. Girls chat, socialise and send text messages, while boys play computer games. Girls are contacted for sex contacts. Fewer girls come in contact with porn sites than they once did, and they take a dim view of porn on the Net. In reality, very few meet strangers off the Internet.
Today's young people have a healthy view of the media, but high consumption on the part of some of them is a matter of concern both to parents and to ourselves as politicians. That particular group of young people needs to be involved in future Community programmes. We have defined a high consumer as someone who uses a particular medium for more than three hours a day. That applies to approximately eight to nine per cent of young people as a whole. In today's Sweden, however, 96% of all young people and 70% of younger children have mobile phones, so matters are developing at a record rate. Our task as MEPs is to address the downside.
Mieczysław Edmund Janowski
(PL) Mr President, I should like to thank Mrs Angelilli for tackling this very important issue. The report before us is excellent. It would be far better, however, if we did not have to debate this matter. It would be so much better if we did not have to deal with people wishing to deprave and exploit children for reprehensible purposes. I have no compunction in referring to such people as evil.
We tend to say that our children are our treasure. All treasures have to be protected against burglars. That is how I perceive action to protect children using modern technologies, notably the Internet. There are children who spend several hours a day surfing the Internet. These technologies are part of everyday life in the contemporary world. They enable individuals to communicate more effectively and are very helpful in our daily lives. For example, they facilitate matters in the areas of administration, science, access to culture and knowledge. That is the positive side, which should be supported and developed. Unfortunately, there is also a negative side that involves exploiting the Internet and modern communication technologies to disseminate harmful content, such as pornography, drug addiction, Satanism, gaming and inappropriate lifestyles.
Paedophiles use the Internet to seek out their victims. The Internet may be likened to a knife that is useful for cutting bread, but it may also be used to inflict grievous psychological harm on children through evil content. Several important measures are called for in my view. Firstly, a system should be created enabling the perpetrators of such action to be detected and dealt with severely under the law. Secondly, all those concerned should be made more aware of the dangers posed by the Internet, mobile telephony, television, and video games. I refer to children, parents, educators, Sunday School teachers, and young people's organisations such as the Scout Movement. Thirdly, better cooperation is needed between supervisory and follow-up bodies in the area, both in the European Union and the world over. After all, servers putting out harmful material may be located in any country. Finally, our actions should be of a preventive and systematic nature, and offenders should be dealt with severely.
Richard Howitt
Mr President, can I use my speech tonight to appeal to all EU countries to follow the practice in Britain for hotlines to be given notice and take-down powers, namely that when online images of child sexual abuse are discovered and reported, the hotline can immediately order the content to be removed by the service provider or host company. This proposal is being championed by the Internet Watch Foundation based in Oakington in Cambridgeshire in my constituency. Indeed, I want to thank Commissioner Reding for the EU-wide remit she has given to them.
Our parliamentary Amendment 25 calling for the establishment of these hotlines and their close liaison with the police can advance this aim. Speedy enforcement action is needed to stop sites simply hopping servers between countries in order to avoid detection, as well as to stop the further child abuse which is perpetuated not just when the images are formed but also every time they are viewed.
Manolis Mavrommatis
(EL) Mr President, Commissioner, the Commission proposal to establish a European programme on protecting children using the Internet has been made against the background of European action to promote greater safety for minors using new technologies. This is an important step by the Commission.
The increase in knowledge in the IT sector has resulted in greater exposure of children to the danger of illegal and harmful online content. I too therefore welcome the efforts which everyone has made to achieve the Commission's objective, which is none other than maximum safety in the use of the Internet, especially by children.
I too support the proposal by the rapporteur, whom I congratulate, for immediate approval of the programme, so that it can come into force from 1 January 2009. I also hope that a suitable financing framework will be put in place for the period from 2009 to 2013, given that the increasing frequency of child pornography on the Internet is sounding the alarm and calling us to immediate action.
Anna Záborská
- (SK) I congratulate the rapporteur. Water is good, but when it is not clean we must filter it. The same thing applies to the Internet. The Davide filter allows access to the Internet via a secure and controlled network and protects young users in particular from unsuitable websites. It employs the most advanced technology and is constantly updated. It is very effective. Access is blocked to websites containing pornography, paedophilia, rape, Satanism, black magic etc. At the same time, it signals the reason for the block.
The filter is also effective against firms using telephone numbers which charge very high call rates. Davide is aimed at everyone who wishes to protect their computer against unsafe websites. The code of practice which we are voting on requires that young people should be guaranteed safe access to the Internet. All it takes to use the filter is to register at www.davide.it.
Pál Schmitt
(HU) Thank you, Mr President, Commissioner. The Internet, games consoles and computer games contain a great deal of violent, brutal and erotic content, and can also cause dependency, insomnia, agitation and eating disorders. Most children are not yet prepared for this type of content and there is the risk that they will grow up to be psychologically disturbed, deviant adults. Modern technology undoubtedly makes it possible to filter out undesirable content by means of software applications, just as we are able to do with spam - unsolicited email - and to block harmful webpages on computers used by children. Information about this facility should be made widely known among parents and computer manufacturers should be urged to make such programs available as part of the mandatory content of new computers. What is needed is a sort of digital environmental protection. It is obvious that some people interpret this as an attempt to curtail the freedom of the Internet, but in my opinion, protecting the mental health and dignity of our children is a higher value. Thank you.
Zuzana Roithová
(CS) Mr President, the number of Europeans connected to the Internet is growing exponentially. Children are spending ever more time on the web and criminal activities on websites which are easily accessible to young people are mushrooming at a similar rate. In the current situation, where the Interpol database has registered more than five hundred thousand images involving child pornography - half of children have already accessed pornographic websites at some time while only 4% of parents even concede the possibility of their children doing such a thing - I am concerned that the budget for Internet safety is too small. There is a need to invest in the development of computer systems which will effectively nip such things in the bud. The European Union must join forces on this front with the USA and Japan. The disparate projects we have seen to date must be replaced with measures aimed at children, parents, schools, telecoms operators, government bodies and non-governmental organisations alike. On the other hand, I value the network of hotlines where both concerned citizens and parents can report harmful Internet content. The Czech Republic, for example, has a hotline of this kind, run by the non-governmental organisation Naše dítě.
Jim Allister
Mr President, it is an unfortunate reality that the wonderful opportunities the internet presents to us all have, in direct proportion, increased the moral, physical and social danger to our children and young people throughout the world.
This report is therefore right to focus on what we can do to thwart abuse of the internet, particularly with regard to child pornography, online grooming and incitement to self-harm, one of the most chilling aspects of which is sites which actually encourage suicide.
I trust that the Safer Internet programme will indeed successfully tackle these problems. For me there are three key issues. Firstly, improving the facility for effective police cooperation and I think that the European child pornography images database must be encouraged. Secondly, better traceability of the financial movements which are linked to child pornography, and thirdly, a properly advanced common kite safety mark, so that parents can know with confidence what is safe for their children to look at.
Miroslav Mikolášik
- (SK) There are a couple of things I would like to say about the report. It mentions dangers such as intimidation, child pornography, Internet grooming, bullying, spreading racist content and incitement to self-harm. I am quite sure that the Internet is one of the greatest technical achievements of the 20th century, but it can equally deprive children of the joy of knowing pure and sincere love and of creating natural relationships. In Internet chatrooms, those who do not use vulgar expressions and who do not boast of their sexual exploits are definitely 'out'.
I will dwell on the horrifying statistics on child abuse via the Internet. As an MEP for whom family values are all the more important, I would like to point out that the Internet is one of the ways in which this society can rob children of their innocence. I would like to emphasise the need for greater responsibility, and responsibility is the key word, which both ISPs, and parents have to take to protect children from accessing content which could harm their natural development.
Viviane Reding
Member of the Commission. - Mr President, I fully agree with everything that has been said in the House and I thank the parliamentarians not only for having this debate but also for taking this debate to their voters and to the people in the areas where they are active, because I believe that the basic problem is that adults do not know enough.
Children often know how to handle the new technologies very well, and it is the first time in the history of mankind that children know more than parents, educators and adults. So here we really have to empower parents, educators and adults and I believe that this is a shared responsibility of all parts of society, not only of politicians but also of the NGOs, and the ISPs most of all. I am also grateful that, for instance, the mobile phone industry has signed a memorandum of understanding in order themselves to inform parents and to prevent harmful content from being on the 3G phones.
The network of hotlines, which we have established by our Safer Internet programme, is very important and it is working perfectly well in most Member States. In reply to the question from a Hungarian parliamentarian, the Hungarian hotline will restart in 2009. There are only two Member States that do not yet have a hotline and one Member State that leaves these problems to the police forces. Therefore, we can already say that today the Safer Internet programme has had a very positive effect. Personally, I would wish that the hotlines were better known: they are well known in some countries but not in all. So, as Members of Parliament, you could help to make those hotlines more known through all kinds of activities. I would really thank you for this and I think that both parents and children would also thank you for this.
There were some questions on the EU criminal procedures. Here I have to tell you that it would be very good if the Convention on Cybercrime were ratified by all Member States. I can also tell you that the interior and justice ministers under the leadership of my friend, Commissioner Barrot, are working on all these questions, including the issue of grooming, on which Mr Barrot will present a proposal shortly. I can also assure you that the international cooperation of police and law enforcement is well under way. So things are moving in the right direction here.
Concerning the question about filters for unwanted content, here again it is a question of informing parents. Most parents do not know that filters exist and that they have the possibility to use these filters. That is why I have asked the ISPs when making contracts with parents to really inform them about the possibilities they have for preventing this content from reaching their children.
That concerns very young children. In the case of adolescents, of course we have to empower the children themselves, and that is why I believe that informing them that they can stop themselves falling into the trap is the best way, because we cannot put a policeman behind each child - that is really not possible. But children are very capable of understanding what is positive content and what is non-positive content. So I believe that with the Safer Internet programme we have to empower the children themselves, beyond empowering the parents and the educators. That will be our duty during the next months and years and, if everybody participates in that, it would be the solution to the problem.
I thank the rapporteur and all the parliamentarians who are helping to make the internet a safe place for our children.
Roberta Angelilli
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank the Commissioner; she has given us important assurances, including the fact that the Commission and Commissioner Barrot intend to find a legally binding definition for 'grooming', a common definition for all Member States. In my view this is undoubtedly a very important objective.
I believe that this programme, clearly, cannot solve all the problems, not least because it is just a programme, it has legal limitations and budgetary restrictions, obviously. That said, it is evident from the debate that the European Parliament wishes to be active in combating harmful online content. The aim for the future is also to improve the coordination of action against this content at European level, making available best practices, measures that have enjoyed the most success, and sharing information and methods. In my opinion, international cooperation must be continually increased in this sector that, as other Members have said, is a sector that knows no borders. We therefore need to move towards sharing data and information in real time.
Parliament wants to remain at the forefront in this area. We have many proposals, some of which have been mentioned by my fellow Members: the idea of a 'child-friendly' mark, the role of 'hotlines' and of police forces working to prevent and combat online abuse, but also the need to implement initiatives in the area of self-regulation by mobile phone operators and service providers. In addition, I believe that we need to work towards tracing financial transactions linked to the exchange of images of child pornography.
I share the Commissioner's view: information and education campaigns involving not only children but also adults, parents and teachers, not for the purpose of criminalising new technologies - because they are vitally important - are essential for European children.
President
The debate is closed.
The vote will take place on Wednesday.
Written statements (Rule 142)
Cristian Silviu Buşoi
in writing. - (RO) I welcome this initiative which focuses on educating both parents and children about the use of the Internet to ensure that the latter ultimately become less vulnerable to abuse online. I think that it is a good idea to produce educational material in schools, but I feel that it would be useful to provide programmes that are adapted to the various age groups. After all, you cannot explain things from the same perspective to a six or seven-year-old child and to a 16-year-old teenager.
I also feel that it is necessary to develop more effective filtering technologies, as it is a fairly frequent occurrence for a mailbox to receive spam messages containing pornographic material which is easily accessible to children with an email account. Additional efforts also need to be made with regard to verifying the age of the persons accessing sites containing pornographic material, as it is very easy for minors to access sites of this kind.
Finally, I support the initiative encouraging international cooperation on this matter. It would be preferable still to reach a global agreement, particularly with regard to labelling sites with the statement 'content safe for children', given that a huge number of sites which are harmful to children are hosted by domains which are not administered by organisations from the EU.
Zita Gurmai
Establishing a multi-annual Community programme for protecting children using the Internet and other modern communication technologies is, in my view, of crucial importance and absolutely indispensable, since it is in our common social interest to use all available means to safeguard our children from harmful and dangerous content.
The initiatives - apart from the fact that they are intended above all to protect children - will have a multiplier effect, since they will also promote increased Internet security. Attaining the objectives will require cooperation from parents, schools, service providers, public authorities and associations, for it is only if we all work together that we will be able to take effective action to protect our children.
In the battle against harmful content, measures adopted by Member States are also of great importance, such as the creation of national contact points and their effective cooperation. I consider it important to create effective methods and mechanisms, which include information, assistance via a hotline, immediate action, prevention, the creation of a database of experience and best practice, as well as ongoing monitoring.
Edit Herczog
in writing. - (HU) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, we are about to adopt a new resolution on child protection. As a mother, I too welcome the initiative and agree that children need to be protected against illegal content on the Internet and other forums targeting them, as well as against content that otherwise endangers their development.
Beyond the above-mentioned aims, I am convinced that we will not succeed if we try to protect children exclusively by trying to shut out pornographic or illegal content from their surroundings. Although it would be ideal if we could do so, it is impossible. This is why I consider it important that in addition to prevention, children should be taught what to do if they receive this type of request or if they are exposed to such influences.
We need to make them aware that they can seek help - and this help must really be real and accessible. We need to prepare every child in advance for such an occurrence, just as we teach them not to get into an unfamiliar car or accept sweets from strangers. This type of preparation is the primary responsibility of the immediate environment: parents, the family, the school. The proposal we are to vote on now is of particular importance, but it can only be effective if it goes hand in hand with efforts to protect the child's environment.
Lívia Járóka
I would like to congratulate my fellow Member Roberta Angelilli on her report on the protection of children using the Internet and other communication technologies, which draws attention to a rather serious and growing danger. By means of the ever more widely accessible new technologies and computer skills, our children are increasingly exposed to the dangers of harassment, child pornography, bullying and incitement to racism. We hear of a growing number of cases in which criminals take advantage of the World Wide Web's chat portals to catch their underage victims off guard and gain their trust with a view to sexually abusing them.
The frightening data indicates that the new dangers brought about by the technological revolution need to be addressed by a harmonised EU action plan that is able to address the problem in all its complexity, with the involvement of children, families, schools and teachers, as well as with the cooperation of the operators in the communications industry and law enforcement agencies. The multi-annual Community programme initiated by the Commission must include measures to combat the unfortunately increasingly widespread illegal and harmful content on the web, on the one hand, by raising awareness and on the other, by more effective and coordinated use of the instruments of criminal law available in each Member State. Furthermore, teachers, caregivers and, first and foremost, parents must be made aware of the hidden dangers of the new communication technologies. I am confident that Parliament - in accordance with the intention of my fellow Member - will approve this proposal as soon as possible and that the new programme can get under way starting in January.
Katalin Lévai
in writing. - (HU) According to Eurobarometer, 74% of 12 to 15-year-olds use the Internet on a daily basis, with many of them exposed to pornographic images. According to the Internet Watch Foundation's survey, the incidence of Internet child abuse has risen by 16% in recent years. This data clearly indicates that online child safety can be achieved only through a multilevel approach, which extends to children, families, schools, operators in the telecommunication sector, and within these, to Internet service providers and judicial bodies.
I think that with regard to protecting children on the Internet, prevention must play the key role. I consider it important for a special permit to be required to operate and access sites with pornography, violence and other content harmful to children's development. Given that in certain countries it is well-established practice, with the consent of the judicial authorities, to block web pages with paedophile content on domestic and foreign servers, and since on the whole the countries' current legal framework makes it possible to remove such content, I call upon the judicial authorities of the Member States to take the necessary steps to block such sites. It would be worth reflecting as well on whether not only creating such web sites, but even viewing them ought to be considered a criminal offence.
For prevention purposes, suitable education and wide-ranging information are required. Children need to be prepared with appropriate knowledge so that they will be able to use a variety of tools to identify potential abusers and defend themselves against them.
Rovana Plumb
in writing. - (RO) Nowadays the Internet offers a world full of information and entertainment, but also an environment which is extremely dangerous for children. This is why I consider it absolutely necessary to launch the 'Safer Internet' programme in order to protect children who are using the Internet and new technologies.
The success of this programme will lie in the way that the EUR 55 million in funding are used, but it also depends on how successful we are at combining the technical and educational aspects. Studies show that using a software application to filter the dangers which children are exposed to protects 90% of children, while parents and immediate guardians are responsible for protecting the remaining 10%. They need to explain to these minors about not agreeing to meet any stranger from the Internet, not replying to messages with obscene content and not providing strangers with information and photographs of a personal nature.
The model used in the visual mass media sector, where TV channels mention the minimum age at which the relevant film or programme is allowed to be watched, needs to be adapted too for online media. A first step towards protecting children from illegal online content would be to label sites explicitly as 'suitable for children'.
Bogusław Rogalski
The programme to protect children using the Internet and new technologies is one of the basic forms of protecting children, both in terms of dissemination of technology and of increased familiarity with the use of computers. The result is that children are currently at risk because of illegal content, and inappropriate behaviour such as child pornography, harassment, grooming, and seduction through the Internet.
According to the statistics, more than 70% of young people aged between 12 and 15 use the Internet for approximately three hours each day. Sadly, most of these young people have viewed images of a pornographic nature. The growing number of Internet sites containing pornography, and the ever lower average age of children falling prey to this process is also cause for alarm.
A multi-pronged approach is the only way to increase child safety in the context of the Internet. This broadly based programme must involve children, their families, schools, communications operators, suppliers of Internet services and other institutions. An important role in combating harmful behaviour on the Internet should be played by hotlines serving to gather information on illegal content. Children should be taught how to avoid dangerous behaviour on the Internet. For their part, parents and teachers should participate in learning campaigns on computer use, so as to reduce the generation gap in the area of new technologies and ensure that dangers can be combated more effectively.
Katrin Saks
in writing. - (ET) As the Internet becomes an increasingly everyday part of our lives, today's children are at ever greater risk of falling victim to abuse, contact for sexual purposes or harassment, etc. in a web environment.
According to the recently published EU Kids Online report, 68% of children in my country, Estonia, have access to the Internet from home. This is one of the highest figures in Europe and similar to that of Denmark, Belgium, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
High Internet availability should not automatically imply that there is a higher threat of encountering harassment or materials of an unpleasant nature, but Estonia is, of the countries that have been studied, in the group with the highest Internet availability, alongside the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
There are many similarities throughout Europe - half of all children reveal information about themselves, four out of ten come into contact with pornographic materials, one third encounter violent materials, many receive unsolicited comments of a sexual nature, and a full nine per cent meet people they have encountered on the Internet in real life. 15-20% of European young people have suffered harassment on the Internet. In Estonia this number is even higher, 31% (between the ages of 6 and 14).
I think we should direct more attention to such issues. Especially in Member States like Estonia, where children increasingly use the Internet in everyday life. Internet usage naturally has its positive aspects. We must, however, devote increasing attention to the dangers that accompany it.
Toomas Savi
in writing. - Mr President, the report of Roberta Angelilli is very much focused on pornography on the internet that is accessible for children, yet there is another matter of even graver concern. It is violence. When pornographic material can be just disturbing then viewing very vivid images of violence against others or even self-harm is something that really might provoke youths for thoughtless acts. Just think of all the discrimination and aggression against minority youngsters or school shootings.
Only recently two school shootings occurred in Finland - very close to my constituency, Estonia. It was noted that the shooter uploaded violent material on the internet just before committing the horrid act. That material was accessible for other troubled youngsters and we have got no idea, what might follow next.
I find that the European Union ought to take serious steps to stop such advocating for violence, while not limiting people's freedom of expression. Every human life must be treasured and when our youths need help or guidance, it should be provided. We cannot afford ruining or wasting the lives of the youngsters, who are the future of Europe.
Czesław Adam Siekierski
The current situation is that young people tend to be more adept at the use of new technologies than the older generation. The Internet holds no secrets for children and young people, who are generally better informed than their parents about how it works. At the same time, however, it is children and young people who are most at risk from psychological violence on the Internet.
According to data gathered in a campaign on children's use of the Internet, half of all Poles using the Internet have been the victims of insults, humiliation and threats on the Internet.
The situation is even more serious where children are concerned. More than 70% of young Internet users have accessed pornographic or erotic material, and more than half of them have viewed cruel and violent scenes.
It should be emphasised, however, that a large majority of these young people came across this material by chance, and did not access it deliberately. Only 12% of children admitted to searching for sites of this sort.
I am quoting these statistics in the Chamber to impress upon Members the gravity of the danger to which our youngest citizens are exposed, using my country as an example.
I therefore believe that the planned programme for the protection of children absolutely must be implemented.
Silvia-Adriana Ţicău
in writing. - (RO) Children are increasingly using the Internet to communicate, find out information, access knowledge and spend their free time. Children and their families need to be aware of the risks associated with this and, above all, they need to observe certain rules which can ensure their protection while using the Internet.
The Internet must remain an open medium, but safe at the same time. The programme for a safer Internet is continuing and enhances previous programmes: 'Safer Internet' and 'Safer Internet Plus'. However, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that its effectiveness depends on raising the population's awareness and on the way in which specific legislation is enforced at a national level. Any incident where a child or young person is confronted on the Internet with unwanted requests or even bullying must be taken seriously, reported and handled in an appropriate manner.
A recent report states that two thirds of young people have received unwanted requests while using the Internet and 25% have viewed material with indecent content. Unfortunately, many parents and teachers are still out of touch with digital media and do not take the necessary steps to protect children on the Internet. I would call on the Commission to join forces with Member States in promoting the setting up of, and establishment of cooperation between, centres for reporting and responding to incidents relating to Internet safety.


6. European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (vote)
- Before the vote:
Kinga Gál
rapporteur. - Mr President, on 12 October, when Parliament last voted on the report on the regulation establishing a European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, we asked for it to be referred back to committee under Rule 53(2). Since then, the Council and the Commission have decided to add political declarations to complement the legal document. This was accepted by Parliament in a round of trialogue discussions. I would therefore ask the House to vote in favour in the final vote on these issues and not block the process any more.


4. Farm structure surveys and the survey on agricultural production methods (
- Before the vote:
Gábor Harangozó
rapporteur. - (HU) Thank you, Mr President. Ladies and gentlemen, farm structure surveys are some of the oldest Community-level statistical surveys, and they provide substantial and necessary information on agricultural holdings in the European Union.
Especially now that we have an enlarged EU that includes twelve new Member States, and since we are working at this very moment on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, it is exceedingly important to be able to conduct a new and comprehensive survey as soon as possible. We need comparable and uniform data to enable us to devise an equitable and properly functioning agricultural policy. This is why I have tried to ensure that we will be able to reach an agreement at the first reading, and get these surveys under way as soon as possible.
I would especially like to thank my fellow Members who participated in the trialogue for their exceptionally constructive approach; I would particularly like to thank Mrs Elisabeth Jeggle and Messrs Nicolas Meves and Alexis Kuhl for their work. The amendments tabled as a result of the trialogue have been put into block one. I would ask you all to support the amendments in block one and then we will be able to close this dossier. Many thanks.


12. Patients' rights in cross-border healthcare (
- Before the vote:
Kartika Tamara Liotard
(NL) I wish to raise a point of order based on Article 168(2). Our group has submitted an amendment on the change in the legal base, and a number of other groups have done likewise. The change means that now only Article 95 on the internal market, and thus only economic interests, are included as a legal base and not Article 152 on public health, in which the patient is taken as the starting point.
In principle, the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety asked for an opinion from the Committee on Legal Affairs, but the opinion was requested solely on the basis of the original proposal from the Commission. In the Bowis report, it is now clear that a change has been made whereby patients' rights are also mentioned in this report, and therefore the legal base has also changed. These amendments have, however, been declared inadmissible and therefore the fundamental change which Parliament wishes to make - in other words from an exclusive market orientation to including patients' rights - is in trouble. I would like to ask that the report be referred back to the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.
President
Mrs Liotard, we will now vote on Amendment 158, which is a motion for rejection, and once we have that result I will respond to your observation.
I should like to make a proposal regarding the amendments dealing with the legal base: the Presidency must decide on the admissibility of these amendments, specifically, Amendments 159, 119, 116 and 125, but the decision naturally has to depend on the final configuration of the directive, which will be modified in the course of voting.
Therefore, I propose that the vote on the admissibility of these amendments should take place at the end, since at that point the Presidency will have the facts it needs to decide whether or not they are admissible. Otherwise, we would have to decide now without sufficient information.
Therefore, if the honourable spokesmen agree, voting will be taken on these amendments at the end.
Philip Bushill-Matthews
rapporteur. - Mr President, I agree with that proposal, but, just for the sake of clarity, could you mention those amendments covered by the legal base - 159, 119 etc.? The 'etc.' should also include the recital, which is Amendment 126.
President
We will therefore vote on 80 amendments from the appropriate committee, and we are aware that Mr Bushill-Matthews wishes to table an oral amendment to Amendment 100.
- Before the vote on Amendment 100:
Philip Bushill-Matthews
rapporteur. - Mr President, apologies to colleagues for introducing it at this late stage, but the reason is one of simple clarification.
Amendment 100 refers to the responsibility of Member States to exchange information about disciplinary and criminal findings against health professionals. This is absolutely appropriate, but it has been brought to my attention at the last minute that this could be construed as saying that if such health professionals were involved in any traffic offences, for example, then Member States would have a responsibility to share information about that. That clearly is not the intention of the amendment and so, for clarification, the wording proposed would now read: 'Member States shall, immediately and proactively, exchange information about disciplinary and criminal findings against health professionals where they impact upon their registration or their right to provide services'. So this is purely a matter for clarification.
President
So far, in voting on this report, we have voted on a series of amendments affecting Articles 15, 16 and 17. The adopted amendments affecting those articles are the following: 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110 and 135.
During the debate, Commissioner Vassiliou said that she would be prepared to review the legal base if she felt there were reasons to do so, which would depend on the amendment of the directive. We must decide on the admissibility of Amendments 159, 119, 116, 125 and 126.1, in order to ensure that the final text adopted by Parliament corresponds with the legal base.
Taking into account what the Commissioner has said, and the fact that the appropriate committee voted on these amendments, that is, the appropriate committee and as such, the chair of the appropriate committee, considered them to be admissible; since he allowed them to be voted on, and also taking into account all that we have voted on today in relation to Articles 15, 16, and 17, I note that the directive has changed direction.
Taking all of this into account, the Presidency considers the amendments admissible, and we shall now proceed to vote on them.
Philip Bushill-Matthews
rapporteur. - Mr President, I accept your ruling - it is your right to make such a ruling - but because earlier Ms Liotard said that we would need to have a dual base, because, otherwise, if it was only the internal market, that meant we would only be voting on economic issues, without trying to open up the debate again. I would just correct her to say the single legal base that we currently have is not just economic: it is about freedom of choice for patients' rights. Therefore, our group will be voting against a dual legal base, both for these original amendments, and indeed the recital. I would encourage other colleagues to put the patients first.
Edward McMillan-Scott
Mr President, very briefly, I am trying to be helpful, but am getting hungry. These are important votes and it is a very full agenda and I have every sympathy with you.
I have just been down to the press room and I note that eight journalists are actually listening to the vote - others may be watching on the screens, where every single vote is being broadcast. I therefore think that to read out the result of every vote is not necessary.
(Applause)
President
Mr McMillan-Scott, up until now we have accommodated the speakers. From now on, we are going to move things along more swiftly and thus satisfy everyone.
- After the vote:
Philip Bushill-Matthews
rapporteur. - Mr President, it was because of the last intervention - which was very well-intentioned - that you omitted your normal practice, which was to thank the rapporteur. I am sure that you would wish to do that, especially in his absence.
President
It is indeed an appropriate moment to thank the rapporteur, Mr Bowis, for his work, and to wish him a speedy and happy recovery.


9. European Road Safety Action Programme - Mid-Term Review (vote)
- following the vote
Hannes Swoboda
(DE) Mr President, it may be that we did not inform you in good time, but this report is the latest from Mrs Hedkvist Petersen, and its subject matter, road safety, something in which she has always taken a great interest. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Mrs Hedkvist Petersen for the work she has done in this House over recent years.
(Applause)
President
Mrs Hedkvist Petersen, such lively applause entitles the President to thank you, with quite especial warmth, for the work you have done and to wish you all the best in every way. I extend to you the warmest congratulations on this splendid report and wish you, personally, all the best.


2. (
- Before the vote:
Bogusław Liberadzki
rapporteur. - (PL) Mr President, we are discussing Directive 95. I had the honour of reporting on its amendment to the House in September of last year. It is basically concerned with checking functions, as this Directive contains a large number of technical details relating to vehicles, loads and roads. In 1996 a new comitology procedure was introduced, i.e. a regulatory procedure combined with checking.
Our committee would like to put forward that the new regulatory procedure, combined with checking, should be introduced as part of the framework of the European Commission's competencies as a condition of implementing the updated Directive 95. The dignity of the European Parliament will not suffer as a result. We shall avoid excessive detail in our control function. The committee adopted this draft regulation unanimously. I would ask the House also to speak with a unanimous voice.
.


Control of the budgetary implementation of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (short presentation)
President
The next item is a short presentation of the report by Mrs Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou, on behalf of the Committee on Budgetary Control, on Control of the Budgetary Implementation of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) in 2007.
Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou
Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, allow me first of all to reiterate that the instrument for pre-accession assistance is the Union's new financing instrument for granting pre-accession assistance for the period 2007-2013 and replaces the previous programmes for candidate and potential candidate countries, namely the PHARE, CARDS, ISPA and other programmes.
The new instrument includes five components which cover the priorities defined in accordance with the needs of the beneficiary country, namely transition assistance and institution building, cross-border cooperation, regional development, human resources development and rural development.
This report by Parliament is the first examination of the application of this new instrument and has a twofold objective:
firstly, to bring the project financed more closely into line with pre-accession priorities, especially for the environment, gender equality, nuclear safety and increased employment;
secondly, to avoid the mistakes of the past, such as those belatedly identified in the application of the PHARE, SAPARD and ISPA programmes in Bulgaria and Romania.
We believe that this can be better achieved if Parliament closely monitors the application of the new instrument from the outset, which is why we called for this own-initiative report.
Parliament expresses its satisfaction in this motion for a resolution at the high implementation rate of IPA commitments in 2007 and its regret at the considerable delays both in approving the relevant regulations and implementing the programmes which started in 2008. We would also point out that the objective of parliamentary control of pre-accession assistance is not only to examine if the funds available were used legitimately, but also to evaluate if they were actually allocated to accession priorities and if the desired results were achieved.
We call in our report for a better balance between projects earmarked for meeting political criteria and projects earmarked for bringing the country into line with the Community acquis and we call for horizontal and regional programmes to be strengthened. We also call for particular emphasis to be placed on combating corruption, organised crime and unemployment, especially unemployment among young people. We call for more funds to strengthen women's rights and equal opportunities in general. We also call for cross-border cooperation to be strengthened, in order to promote reconciliation and good neighbourly relations between beneficiary countries and between them and the Member States of the European Union to a greater degree.
To close, we consider that the instrument for pre-accession assistance is a rational and flexible mechanism for optimising financial assistance to candidate and potential candidate countries. However, in order to get the maximum return, it needs to remain firmly in line with accession priorities and the social and political conditions peculiar to each country. For this reason, Parliament hopes to play a fundamental role in the application and adaptation of this instrument.
Joe Borg
Member of the Commission. - Mr President, on behalf of the Commission I would like to thank Parliament for giving us the opportunity to comment on the report on the control of budgetary implementation of the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) for 2007, and to extend our thanks to the rapporteur, Mrs Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou, for the very valuable report that she initiated and prepared.
We can, overall, concur with the findings and recommendations of the report, which are fully in line with the views of the Commission on how best to use financial assistance for the Western Balkans and for Turkey.
The Commission acknowledges the late launch of IPA 2007 programmes because of the late adoption of the legal framework for IPA. I can assure you, however, that the Commission made all efforts to limit the delay of implementation on the ground, and that preparation of management structures and detailed project design were pushed ahead all through 2008.
Within this framework the Commission will ensure that the impact of IPA will become visible in the beneficiary countries.
Allow me to elaborate on some of the issues raised in the report. As regards the balance between political criteria and transposition of the acquis communautaire, the Commission has already increased the allocations for projects in the area of the political criteria in IPA 2008 in all countries, and will continue to do so gradually.
However, in the face of the current financial crisis, we will also need to strike an appropriate balance in the 2009 and 2010 programmes between continued support for political reforms and financial assistance to help the countries mitigate the consequences of the economic downturn.
In this regard the report rightly identifies the challenges generated by the financial crisis and the need for an EC response. To that end, the Commission has put together an IPA crisis response package of about EUR 250 million at the end of 2008 with the aim of leveraging some EUR 600 million in loans from international financial institutions.
Measures will focus on support to private sector SMEs, energy efficiency investments, and support to investments and infrastructure under national IPA programmes in close coordination with international financial institutions.
The Commission also fully concurs with the need to establish the decentralised management system as a step to promoting ownership and responsibility of candidate countries and potential candidates. Guidance and assistance is being given to them in order for these countries to build the required public management structures and public financial control systems.
According to the principles of IPA, environmental protection, good governance, civil society development, gender equality and non-discrimination are all cross-cutting issues and are an integral part of project design.
Civil society organisations are now more actively involved in the development and the initiation of projects. In 2008 the Commission launched the civil society facility as a tool for promoting civil society development and advancement of regional cooperation, for which an indicative budget of EUR 130 million is earmarked for 2008-2010.
The Commission also shares the rapporteur's views as regards the importance of education, regional and cross-border cooperation and gender equality, to name but a few issues.
The services of the Commission have fully taken on board the recommendations of Parliament and we look forward to reviewing progress with you during our regular rendezvous where we have the opportunity to discuss the financial assistance strategies and their implementation.
This will allow the further enhancement of the ongoing dialogue between our respective institutions.
President
The item is closed.
The vote will take place on Wednesday 22 April 2009.


Approval of the Minutes of the previous sitting
Bruno Gollnisch
(FR) Mr President, I would like to comment on point 16 of the Minutes, which quite rightly reports my request for a debate to be held on the waiver of my parliamentary immunity, something which you rejected. This therefore contradicts what the President of the sitting Mrs Angelilli said earlier, when she claimed that I had been given the floor yesterday to talk about the waiver of my parliamentary immunity, which is not true. This Parliament has therefore deprived one of its Members of a vital right to protection, without allowing either the party himself or anyone who may have spoken in his defence to speak on the subject in plenary, either during a debate or during their explanations of vote or any other occasion. I simply wanted this to be acknowledged, so thank you for having done that.
President
I understand that your comment is intended for the Minutes. Thank you for this comment.