Decision No 1351/2008/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 establishing a multiannual Community programme on protecting children using the Internet and other communication technologies (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2008-12-16
Institutions: Council of the European Union, European Parliament
Subjects: EU programme, Internet, child protection, information technology, public awareness campaign, telecommunications

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DECISION No 1351/2008/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

of 16 December 2008

establishing a multiannual Community programme on protecting children using the Internet and
other communication technologies

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE
EUROPEAN UNION,

(2)

Having regard to the Treaty
Community, and in particular Article 153 thereof,

establishing the European

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and
Social Committee (1),

(3)

After consulting the Committee of the Regions,

Acting in accordance with the procedure
Article 251 of the Treaty (2),

laid down in

Whereas:

for

the

The Commission Communication ‘i2010 — A European
growth and employment’
Information Society
(COM(2005)0229), developing
Lisbon strategy,
seeks to ensure coherence across the Commission's infor­
mation society and media policies in order to reinforce
the significant contribution of information and commu­
nication technologies
the
economies of Member States. One of its objectives is
the creation of a Single European Information Space
offering affordable and secure high bandwidth commu­
nications, rich and diverse content, and digital services.

to the performance of

providers (5). Council

The Community legislative framework addressing the
challenges of digital content in the Information Society
includes provisions on the protection of minors (3), the
protection of privacy (4) and the liability of intermediary
service
Framework Decision
2004/68/JHA of 22 December 2003 on combating the
sexual exploitation of children and child pornography (6)
sets out minimum requirements for Member States in the
definition of offences and appropriate penalties. Recom­
mendation 2006/952/EC of the European Parliament and
of the Council of 20 December 2006 on the protection
of minors and human dignity and on the right of reply
in relation to the competitiveness of the European audio­
visual and on-line information services industry (7) builds
of
on
24 September 1998 on the development of the competi­
the European audiovisual and information
tiveness of
services
frameworks
aimed at achieving a comparable and effective level of
protection of minors and human dignity (8), by setting
out guidelines for the development of national self-regu­
lation, and extending its scope to include media literacy,
cooperation and the sharing of experience and best
practices between regulatory, self-regulatory, and co-regu­
latory bodies and measures to combat discrimination in
all media.

industry by promoting national

Recommendation

98/560/EC

Council

(1)

The use of the Internet and other communication tech­
nologies such as mobile phones continues to grow con­
siderably in the European Union and offers all citizens
great opportunities for, inter alia, participation,
interac­
tivity and creativity. However, risks to children and abuse
of these technologies continue to exist and, as a result of
changing technologies and societal behaviours, new risks
and abuses continue to emerge. Measures should be
adopted at EU level
in order to protect the physical,
mental and moral integrity of children, which might be
impaired by
content.
Moreover, in order to encourage citizens to exploit the
opportunities and enjoy the positive benefits offered by
the Internet and other communication technologies,
measures promoting their safer use are also needed.

accessing inappropriate

their

(1) OJ C 224, 30.8.2008, p. 61.
(2) Opinion of the European Parliament of 22 October 2008 (not yet
and Council Decision of

Journal)

published in the Official
9 December 2008.

(3) Directive 2007/65/EC of

the European Parliament and of

the
Council of 11 December 2007 amending Council Directive
89/552/EEC on the coordination of certain provisions laid down
regulation or administrative action in Member States
by law,
concerning the pursuit of
television broadcasting activities (OJ
L 332, 18.12.2007, p. 27).

(4) Directive 2002/58/EC of

the European Parliament and of

the
Council of 12 July 2002 concerning the processing of personal
data and the protection of privacy in the electronic communications
sector (Directive on privacy and electronic communications)
(OJ
L 201, 31.7.2002, p. 37).
(5) Directive 2000/31/EC of

the
Council of 8 June 2000 on certain legal aspects of information
society services,
in the Internal
in particular electronic commerce,
Market (Directive on electronic commerce) (OJ L 178, 17.7.2000,
p. 1).

the European Parliament and of

(6) OJ L 13, 20.1.2004, p. 44.
(7) OJ L 378, 27.12.2006, p. 72.
(8) OJ L 270, 7.10.1998, p. 48.

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(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

There will be a continued need for action in the areas of
content potentially harmful
to children, particularly
pornographic material, and of illegal content, particularly
child abuse material. Likewise, action continues to be
necessary to prevent children becoming victims of
harmful and illegal conduct
leading to physical and
psychological harm, and being enticed to imitate such
conduct
and others.
Particular efforts should be made to explore solutions
through
to prevent an adult
information and communication technologies, to meet
a child with the intention of committing sexual abuse
or other sexual offences. At
the same time, special
attention should be given to the peer support system.

causing harm to themselves

from making proposals,

these changes. Several measures and actions should be
combined in a multi-faceted and complementary way;
taking measures to
this should include,
for example,
promote a safe and responsible use of
the Internet,
further developing supporting technologies, promoting
best
embodying
generally agreed standards of behaviour and cooperating
with industry on the agreed objectives of those codes.

practices

conduct

codes

for

of

(10)

The programme should further support measures to
encourage positive content for children.

Action should also be aimed at preventing children from
being victimised by threats, harassment and humiliation
via the Internet and/or interactive digital technologies,
including mobile phones.

(11)

The changing media landscape, resulting from new tech­
nologies and media innovation, makes it necessary to
teach children, as well as parents, carers, teachers and
to use on-line information services safely
educators,
and effectively.

the

Internet

Decision No 276/1999/EC of the European Parliament
and of the Council of 25 January 1999 adopting a Multi­
annual Community Action Plan on promoting safer use
of
technologies by
and new online
combating illegal and harmful content primarily in the
area of the protection of children and minors (1)
(the
Safer Internet Action Plan 1998-2004) and Decision
No 854/2005/EC of
the European Parliament and of
the Council of 11 May 2005 establishing a multiannual
Community Programme on promoting safer use of the
Internet and new online technologies (2)
(the Safer
Internet plus programme 2005-2008) have provided
Community financing which, as demonstrated by the
submitted to the European
programme
the
Parliament,
Regions
and
COM(2006)0663), has successfully encouraged a variety
of initiatives and has provided ‘European added value’.

evaluations
the Council and the Committee of

(COM(2001)0690,

COM(2003)0653

(12)

Efforts should be made to protect children through the
development of, for example, effective age verification
systems and voluntary certification labels.

(13)

International cooperation is essential given the global
nature of the problem. Illegal content may be produced
in one country, hosted in a second, but accessed and
downloaded worldwide.
cooperation,
which has been stimulated through the Community
networking structures, should be reinforced in order to
better
risks
involving third countries. An exchange of best practices
between European organisations and those in other parts
of the world could be mutually advantageous.

International

cross-border

children

protect

against

In addition to the findings of
the evaluations of the
predecessor programmes, a series of Eurobarometer
surveys and a public consultation have clearly identified
the need to maintain the activities on reporting illegal
content and on awareness-raising in the Member States.

(14) All the Member States have ratified the 20 November
the Child,
1989 UN Convention on the Rights of
pursuant
to which signatory States are required to
adopt any national, bilateral and multilateral measure
needed to prevent any form of child exploitation, and
to adopt any legislative, administrative and other measure
necessary for
the purpose of upholding the rights
recognised under that Convention, where appropriate
by means of international cooperation.

The programme established by this Decision should, inter
alia, be aimed at creating educational packages
for
parents, carers, teachers and educators.

(15)

Evolving technologies, changes in the way the Internet
and other communication technologies are used by
adults and children, and shifts in societal behaviours
are leading to new risks for children. The knowledge
base that can be used for designing efficient actions
needs to be strengthened in order to better understand

The measures that
the Commission is empowered to
adopt under the implementing powers conferred on it
by this Decision are essentially management measures
relating to the implementation of a programme with
substantial budgetary implications within the meaning
of Article 2(a) of Council Decision 1999/468/EC of
28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for
the
implementing powers conferred on the
exercise of
Commission (3). Such measures
should therefore be
adopted in accordance with the management procedure
provided for in Article 4 of that Decision.

(1) OJ L 33, 6.2.1999, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 149, 11.6.2005, p. 1.

(3) OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.

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The Commission should ensure complementarity and
synergy with
and
related Community
programmes.

initiatives

The activities to be carried out under these action lines are set
out in Annex I.

(16)

(17)

(18)

(19)

the Programme

This Decision lays down a financial envelope for the
implementation of
constituting the
prime reference for the budgetary authority during the
annual budgetary procedure, within the meaning of point
37 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006
between the European Parliament, the Council and the
Commission on budgetary discipline and sound financial
management (1).

the issues at

Since the objectives of
this Decision cannot be suf­
ficiently achieved by the Member States given the trans­
national character of
stake and can
therefore, by reason of the European scope and effects
of the actions, be better achieved at Community level, the
Community may adopt measures, in accordance with the
principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the
Treaty.
In accordance with the principle of propor­
tionality, as set out in that Article, this Decision does
not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve
those objectives.

rights and
the
This Decision respects
observes the principles reflected in the Charter of Funda­
mental Rights of
in particular
Article 3(1) and Articles 7, 8 and 24 thereof,

the European Union,

fundamental

HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Objective of the programme

1.
This Decision establishes a Community programme to
promote safer use of the Internet and other communication
technologies, particularly for children, and to fight against
illegal content and harmful conduct online.

The programme
programme (‘the Programme’).

shall be known as

the

‘Safer

Internet’

2.

The following action lines shall be addressed:

(a) ensuring public awareness;

(b) fighting against illegal content and harmful conduct online;

(c) promoting a safer online environment;

(d) establishing a knowledge base.

(1) OJ C 139, 14.6.2006, p. 1.

The Programme shall be implemented in accordance with
Annex III.

For the purpose of this Decision ‘children’ means persons
3.
under 18 years of age, unless the relevant national law confers
on them, under certain conditions, full legal capacity under that
age.

Article 2

Participation

Participation in the Programme shall be open to legal

1.
entities established in:

(a)

the Member States;

(b) European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries which are
in
members of
accordance with the conditions laid down in the EEA
Agreement;

the European Economic Area (EEA),

(c) accession countries and candidate countries benefiting from
a pre-accession strategy,
in accordance with the general
principles and general terms and conditions for the partici­
pation of those countries in Community programmes estab­
lished in the respective Framework Agreements and Associ­
ation Council Decisions;

in accordance with the provisions

(d) countries of the Western Balkans and the European neigh­
bourhood,
to be
determined with those countries following the establishment
of Framework Agreements concerning their participation in
Community programmes;

(e) a third country being a party to an international agreement
with the Community, under the terms or on the basis of
which it makes a financial contribution to the Programme.

2.
The Programme shall also be open to international organ­
isations and legal entities established in third countries other
than those mentioned in points (b)
to (e) of paragraph 1
under the conditions set out in Annex III.

Article 3

Competences of the Commission

The Commission shall be responsible for the implemen­

1.
tation of the Programme.

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The Commission shall prepare annual work programmes

2.
on the basis of this Decision.

The Commission shall monitor the implementation of

2.
projects under the Programme.

3.
In implementing the Programme, the Commission shall, in
close cooperation with the Member States, ensure general
consistency
relevant
complementarity with
Community policies, programmes and actions.

other

and

The Commission shall

4.
procedure referred to in Article 4(2) for the purposes of:

in accordance with the

act

(a) adopting and modifying the annual work programmes,
including determining the priority areas for international
cooperation;

(b) assessing the projects proposed following calls for proposals
for Community funding where the estimated Community
contribution is equal to, or more than, EUR 500 000;

The Commission shall evaluate the manner in which the
3.
projects have been carried out and their impact in order to
assess whether the original objectives have been achieved.

The Commission shall, by 24 June 2011, report to the
4.
European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and
Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, on the
implementation of the action lines referred to in Article 1(2).

The Commission shall submit a final evaluation report at

5.
the end of the Programme.

Article 6

Financial provisions

(c)

implementing measures for evaluating the Programme.

The Programme shall cover a period of five years from

1.
1 January 2009.

5.
The Commission shall inform the committee referred to in
Article 4 of progress in the implementation of the Programme.
In particular, the Commission shall inform that committee im­
mediately about all selection decisions taken on matters falling
outside of the scope of paragraph 4 of this Article.

Article 4

Committee

1.

The Commission shall be assisted by a committee.

2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 4 and
7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the
provisions of Article 8 thereof.

The financial envelope for the implementation of

2.
Programme
31 December 2013 shall be EUR 55 000 000.

the
the period from 1 January 2009 to

for

3.
The annual appropriations for the period from 2009 to
2013 shall be authorised by the budgetary authority within the
limits of the financial framework.

An indicative breakdown of expenditure is set out

4.
Annex II.

in

Article 7

Entry into force

The period laid down in Article 4(3) of Decision 1999/468/EC
shall be set at three months.

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its publi­
cation in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Article 5

Monitoring and evaluation

Done at Strasbourg, 16 December 2008.

1.
In order to ensure that Community aid is used efficiently,
the Commission shall ensure that actions under this Decision
are subject
follow-up and subsequent
evaluation.

to prior appraisal,

For the European Parliament
The President

H.-G. PÖTTERING

For the Council
The President

B. LE MAIRE

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ANNEX I

ACTIONS

Introduction

The objective of the Programme is to promote safer use of the Internet and other communication technologies (‘online
technologies’), to educate users, particularly children, parents, carers, teachers and educators in this regard and to fight
against illegal content and harmful conduct online.

To achieve this objective, the Programme will focus on practical help for the end-user, particularly children, parents,
carers, teachers and educators, by encouraging multi-stakeholder partnerships.

The Programme has the overall aim to promote safer use of online technologies, especially by children, promote the
development of a safe online environment, reduce the amount of illegal content disseminated online, tackle potentially
harmful conduct online (including the psychological manipulation of children with a view to sexual abuse and ‘grooming’,
which is the process by which an adult befriends a child with the intention of committing sexual abuse, electronic
harassment and electronic files showing physical and/or psychological aggression) and ensure public awareness of online
risks and precautions, as well as to develop pedagogical tools on the basis of sound practices.

In order to ensure a coherent approach to risks, where content and services may be accessed and used both online and
offline, such as in the case of video games, the Programme may address both types of access and use.

The Programme will be implemented through four general action lines:

(1) Ensuring public awareness

The activities will aim to increase public awareness,
in particular among children, parents, carers, teachers and
educators, about opportunities and risks related to the use of online technologies, and means of staying safe
online. They will also address the opportunities and risks of services using new distribution platforms, such as
audiovisual services using mobile phone networks. Where appropriate, information packs will be made available in
multilingual versions. The main planned actions are:

1. Raising public awareness and disseminating information on safer use of online technologies.

Activities will promote public awareness in a coordinated way across the European Union, by conveying a positive
message about the opportunities for a wider and more intensive use of information and communication tech­
nology, while providing adequate information about risks and ways to deal with them. Actions will be encouraged
so as to enable children to make responsible use of on-line technologies, in particular through media literacy or
media education programmes. Activities will encourage cost-effective means of distributing awareness information
to a large number of users, for instance, through cooperation with mass media, through the online distribution of
user-generated content and through the educational system. Methods of distribution and presentation of messages
will be adapted to the various target groups (different age groups of children and their parents, carers, teachers and
educators).

2. Providing contact points where parents and children can receive answers to questions about how to stay safe

online, including advice on how to deal with both grooming and cyber-bullying.

Activities will be aimed at empowering users to make informed and responsible choices by providing them with
advice on relevant information and precautions to be taken to remain safe online.

3. Encouraging the enhancement of efficient and cost-effective awareness-raising methods and tools.

Actions will be aimed at improving relevant awareness-raising methods and tools so that they are more efficient
and cost-effective over the long-term.

4. Ensuring the exchange of best practices and cross-border cooperation at EU level.

Actions will be taken to ensure effective EU cross-border cooperation and effective exchange of best practices,
tools, methods, experience and information.

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5. Ensuring exchange of best practices and cooperation at international level.

Actions will aim to promote cooperation and exchange of best practices, tools, methods, experience and infor­
mation at international level in order to encourage common approaches and methods of work and improve and
enhance the effectiveness, cost-efficiency and the range of global initiatives.

(2) Fighting against illegal content and harmful conduct online

The activities will aim to reduce the amount of illegal content circulated online and deal adequately with harmful
conduct online, with particular focus on online distribution of child sexual abuse material, grooming and cyber-
bullying. The main planned actions are:

1. Providing the public with, and promoting the existence of, contact points and hotlines for reporting online illegal

content and harmful conduct.

Activities will ensure that these contact points are effective and visible to the public, that they liaise closely with
other actors at national level (in particular with police units specialised in cyber crime), and that they cooperate at
EU level to deal with cross-border issues and to exchange best practices. These contact points will also provide the
public with the necessary information on how to report illegal content and assess the content of on-line
information services which could harm the physical, mental or moral integrity of children.

2. Tackling harmful conduct online, in particular grooming and cyber-bullying. Activities will aim to tackle online

grooming and cyber-bullying.

Actions will deal with technical, psychological and sociological issues relating to these issues and will promote
cooperation and coordination between stakeholders.

3. Stimulating the application of technical solutions for dealing adequately with illegal content and harmful conduct

online and informing end-users as to how this technology might be applied.

Activities will encourage the design, development or adaptation and/or promotion of effective technological tools
to deal adequately with illegal content and to fight against harmful conduct online, in particular those tools made
available free of charge for easy general use by stakeholders, and will also encourage the promotion by service
operators of safe, responsible use of connections in order to protect children against illegal and harmful activities.
Stakeholders will be informed of the availability of this technology and its proper use. Consideration could be
given, inter alia,to the following measures:

(a) adopting a quality label for service providers, so that users can easily check whether or not a given provider

subscribes to a code of conduct;

(b) the use by end-users of filters which would prevent information which could harm children's physical, mental

or moral integrity from passing through online technologies;

(c) supporting and promoting measures to encourage positive content for children;

(d) aiming to explore the effectiveness of tools developed in cooperation with the Internet industry that enable law

enforcement agencies to track down online criminals.

4. Promoting cooperation and exchange of information, experience and best practices between stakeholders at

national and EU level.

Activities will aim to improve coordination between, and encourage the participation and engagement of, stake­
holders involved in countering the distribution of illegal content and harmful conduct online. In particular,
activities will encourage the international sharing of expertise and pooling of ideas between governments, law
enforcement agencies, hotlines, banking/financial/credit card institutions, child abuse counselling centres, child
welfare organisations and the Internet industry.

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5. Enhancing cooperation, exchange of information and experience in fighting online illegal content and harmful

conduct at international level.

Activities will aim to improve cooperation with third countries, harmonise approaches in dealing with illegal
content and harmful conduct online at international level and encourage the development of coordinating links
between the Member States' databases relating to child abuse, and also common approaches and methods of work.
In particular, activities will be aimed at establishing close cooperation between national authorities, police and
contact points. Actions will be taken to build a common EU database collecting information on child abuse and to
ensure its connection with Europol.

6. Engaging domain name registries where they are not yet engaged and strengthening existing cooperation.

Taking account of national
legislation, activities will aim to complement the existing actions by improving
cooperation with domain name registries in Member States, and encouraging positive relationships with registries
outside the EU to enable earlier detection of potentially illegal content and minimise the longevity of websites
known to offer child sexual abuse content.

(3) Promoting a safer online environment

The activities will aim to bring together stakeholders so as to promote a safer online environment and protect
children from harmful content. The main planned actions are:

1. Enhancing cooperation, exchange of information, experience and best practices between stakeholders.

Activities will aim to improve cooperation, harmonise approaches in creating a safer online environment for
children and enable the exchange of best practices and working methods. Actions will aim to provide stakeholders
with an open platform to discuss issues linked to promoting a safer online environment and ways of protecting
children from potentially harmful content across different platforms.

2. Encouraging stakeholders to develop and implement adequate systems of self- and co-regulation. Actions will
encourage the creation and implementation of self- and co-regulatory initiatives and encourage stakeholders to
take account of child safety when developing new technologies and services.

3. Encouraging and assisting providers to develop labelling.

Actions will aim at encouraging and assisting Internet service providers to develop, as a tool of self regulation,
‘child safe’ labelling for web pages. These actions may include, inter alia, exploring the possibility of setting up a
system of common descriptive symbols or warning messages indicating the age category and/or those aspects of
the content which have led to a certain age recommendation, which would help users to be more aware of
potentially harmful online content.

4. Stimulating the involvement of children in creating a safer online environment.

Actions will aim to involve children, ensuring equal participation of girls and boys, with the aim of better
understanding their views and experiences concerning the use of online technologies and, with the support of
specialists, of promoting a safer online environment for children. This involvement shall be regularly exercised
within the framework of activities such as the European Forum on the Rights of the Child, the Safer Internet
Forum and others.

5. Increasing information about adequate tools for dealing with harmful content online.

Activities will aim to increase information, particularly for parents, carers, teachers and educators, about the
performance and effectiveness of tools, such as filtering systems, for dealing with potentially harmful content
online and to equip all users regularly with simple educational
instruments and applications
adequately supporting them in dealing with harmful content across different platforms.

information,

6. Ensuring compatibility between the approach taken in the European Union and internationally.

Activities will promote cooperation and exchange of information, experience and best practices between stake­
holders at EU level and internationally.

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(4) Establishing a knowledge base

The activities will aim to establish a knowledge base for dealing adequately with existing and emerging uses of the
online environment and relevant risks and consequences, with a view to designing adequate actions aimed at ensuring
online safety for all users. The contents of this knowledge base will be shared with stakeholders and disseminated
across Member States. The main planned actions are:

1. Encouraging a coordinated approach to investigations in relevant fields.

Actions will aim to bring together scientists and experts engaged in the field of child safety online at EU level,
stimulate international cooperation and coordination, and establish updated overviews of existing and emerging
research.

2. Providing updated information on children's use of online technologies.

Actions will be taken to generate updated information concerning children's use of online technologies and the
way they and their parents, carers, teachers and educators deal with both opportunities and risks. The actions will
comprise quantitative and qualitative aspects. Actions will also aim to increase the knowledge of children's own
strategies for dealing with risks in the online environment, and assess their effectiveness.

3. Analysing statistics and trends from different Member States.

Actions will be taken to analyse statistics and trends from different Member States with the aim of allowing law
enforcement agencies and relevant authorities from Member States to reduce the duplication of existing efforts and
maximise the use of current and future resources.

4. Promoting investigation of the online victimisation of children.

Actions, incorporating a gender-sensitive approach, will aim to investigate technical, psychological and sociological
issues related to the victimisation of children in the online environment, including cyber-bullying, grooming, issues
relating to online child sexual abuse material and emerging forms of conduct that put children at risk of harm.

5. Promoting investigation of efficient ways to improve the safe use of online technologies.

Actions may include investigations and trials of awareness-raising methods and tools, successful co- and self-
regulatory schemes, the effectiveness of different technical and non-technical solutions, as well as other relevant
issues.

6. Increasing knowledge of the effects of the use of current and emerging technologies on children.

Actions, incorporating a gender-sensitive approach, will aim to better understand the psychological, behavioural
and sociological effects of online technologies on children, ranging from the effect of exposure to harmful content
and conduct, to grooming and cyber-bullying across different platforms, from computers and mobile phones to
game consoles and other emerging technologies.

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ANNEX II

INDICATIVE BREAKDOWN OF EXPENDITURE

(1) Ensuring public awareness

(2) Fighting against illegal content and harmful conduct online

(3) Promoting a safer online environment

(4) Establishing a knowledge base

48 %

34 %

10 %

8 %

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ANNEX III

METHODS OF PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION

(1) The Commission will

implement the Programme in accordance with the technical content specified in Annex I.

(2) The Programme will be implemented through actions comprising:

A. Shared-cost actions

1. Pilot projects and best practice actions; ad hoc projects in areas relevant to the Programme, including projects

demonstrating best practice or involving innovative uses of existing technology.

2. Networks and national actions bringing together a variety of stakeholders to ensure action throughout Europe

and to facilitate coordination activities and transfer of knowledge.

3. Europe-wide investigation carried out on a comparable basis on the use of online technologies, the resulting
risks for children, and the effects of harmful practices on children, and behavioural and psychological aspects
with emphasis on child sexual abuse related to the use of online technologies, investigation on upcoming risk
situations due to transforming behaviours or technological developments, etc.

4. Technology deployment projects.

B. Accompanying measures

Accompanying measures will contribute to the implementation of the Programme or the preparation of future
activities.

1. Benchmarking and opinion surveys to produce reliable data on safer use of online technologies for all Member

States collected through comparable methodologies.

2. Technical assessment of technologies such as filtering which are designed to promote safer use of the Internet

and new online technologies.

3. Studies in support of the Programme and its actions.

4. Exchange of information through conferences, seminars, workshops or other meetings and the management of

clustered activities.

5. Dissemination, information and communication activities.

(3) In pursuance of Article 2(2), international organisations and legal entities established in third countries may take part

in shared-cost actions, with or without Community funding, under the following conditions:

(a)

the action must fall under a priority for international cooperation as defined in the annual work programmes.
These priorities may be defined by thematic area of activity, by geographic criteria or both;

(b) the annual work programmes may define further criteria and conditions which must be satisfied by international

organisations and legal entities established in third countries in order to receive Community funding.