Decision No 1151/2003/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council
of 16 June 2003
amending Decision No 276/1999/EC adopting a multiannual Community action plan on promoting safer use of the Internet by combating illegal and harmful content on global networks
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 153(2) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission(1),
Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee(2),
Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions(3),
Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty(4),
Whereas:
(1) Decision No 276/1999/EC(5) was adopted for a period of four years.
(2) In accordance with Article 6(4) of Decision No 276/1999/EC, the Commission has submitted to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions an evaluation report on the results obtained at the end of two years in implementing the action lines set out in Annex I to that Decision.
(3) The findings of the evaluation formed part of the basic documentation for a workshop on safer use of new online technologies at which leading experts in the field examined the likely future evolution of the issues addressed by the action plan laid down in Decision No 276/1999/EC (hereafter referred to as the action plan) and made recommendations to the Commission.
(4) New online technologies, new users and new usage patterns create new dangers and exacerbate existing dangers at the same time as opening a wealth of new opportunities.
(5) There is a clear need for coordination within the safer Internet field, both on the national and the European level. There should be a large degree of decentralisation using networks of national focal points. The involvement of all the relevant actors, especially a greater number of content providers in the different sectors, should be encouraged. The Commission should act as a facilitator for and contributor to European and global cooperation. Cooperation between the Community and candidate and accession countries should be enhanced.
(6) More time is needed for actions to be implemented to enhance networking, to achieve the objectives of the action plan and to take account of new online technologies.
(7) The financial framework constituting the prime reference for the budgetary authority during the annual budgetary procedure should be amended accordingly.
(8) The Commission should be required to present a second report on the results obtained in implementing the action lines after four years and a final report at the end of the action plan.
(9) The list of candidate and accession countries able to participate should be amended by including Malta and Turkey.
(10) The Action Plan should be extended for a further period of two years which should be regarded as a second phase; in order to make specific provision for the second phase, the action lines should be amended, taking account of the experience and the findings of the evaluation report.
(11) Decision 276/1999/EC should therefore be amended accordingly,
HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
Decision No 276/1999/EC is hereby amended as follows:
1. The title shall be replaced by the following:
"Decision No 276/1999/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 January 1999 adopting a Multiannual Community Action Plan on promoting safer use of the Internet and new online technologies by combating illegal and harmful content primarily in the area of the protection of children and minors."
2. Article 1(2) shall be replaced by the following:
"2. The action plan shall cover a period of six years from 1 January 1999 to 31 December 2004."
3. Article 1(3) shall be replaced by the following:
"3. The financial framework for the implementation of the action plan for the period from 1 January 1999 to 31 December 2004 is hereby set at EUR 38,3 million.
The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the budgetary authority within the limits of the financial perspective.
An indicative breakdown of expenditure is given in Annex II."
4. In Article 3, the first indent shall be replaced by the following:
"- promotion of industry self-regulation and content monitoring schemes (for example, dealing with content such as child pornography or content which is likely to result in physical or mental harm or content which incites hatred on grounds of race, sex, religion, nationality or ethnic origin),"
5. Article 6(4) shall be replaced by the following:
"4. At the end of two years, at the end of four years and at the end of the action plan, the Commission shall submit to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, once the committee referred to in Article 5 has examined it, an evaluation report on the results obtained in implementing the action plan. The Commission may present, on the basis of those results, proposals for adjusting the orientation of the action plan."
6. Article 7(1) shall be replaced by the following:
"1. Participation in this action plan may be opened to EFTA States which are members of the European Economic Area (EEA) in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement on the EEA."
7. Article 7(2) shall be replaced by the following:
"2. The action plan shall be open to participation of the candidate and accession countries on the following basis:
(a) central and eastern European countries (CEECs), in accordance with the conditions established in the Europe Agreements, in their additional protocols, and in the decisions of the respective Association Councils;
(b) Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, in accordance with bilateral agreements to be concluded."
8. Annex I shall be amended as set out in the Annex I to this Decision.
9. Annex II shall be replaced by the text in the Annex II to this Decision.
Article 2
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Luxembourg, 16 June 2003.