Annexes to COM(1997)582-2 - Multiannual Community Action Plan on promoting safe use of the Internet

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dossier COM(1997)582-2 - Multiannual Community Action Plan on promoting safe use of the Internet.
document COM(1997)582 EN
date January 25, 1999
ANNEX I


MULTIANNUAL COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN ON PROMOTING SAFER USE OF THE INTERNET


ACTION LINES

The action lines, in conjunction with the recommendation on protection of minors and human dignity, are a means of implementing a European approach to safer use of the Internet, based on industry self-regulation, filtering and rating and awareness. Strong support has been expressed for this approach at the level of the European Parliament and of the Council and Member States, as well as in the wider European context of the Bonn Declaration agreed to by ministers from 29 European States.

The action lines have the following objectives:

- to incite the actors (industry, users) to develop and implement adequate systems of self regulation,

- to pump-prime developments by supporting demonstrations and stimulating application of technical solutions,

- to alert and inform parents and teachers, in particular through their relevant associations,

- to foster cooperation and exchange of experiences and best practices at European and international levels,

- to promote coordination across Europe and between actors concerned,

- to ensure compatibility between the approach taken in Europe and elsewhere.


1. Action line 1. Creating a safer environment

Cooperation from the industry and a fully functioning system of self-regulation are essential elements in limiting the flow of illegal content on the Internet.


1.1. Creating a European network of hot-lines

An effective way to restrict circulation of illegal material is to set up a European network of centres (known as hot-lines) which allow users to report content which they come across in the course of their use of the Internet and which they consider to be illegal. Responsibility for prosecuting and punishing those responsible for illegal content remains with the national law-enforcement authorities, while the hot-line aims at revealing the existence of illegal material with a view to restricting its circulation. Differences in national legal systems and culture must also be respected.

So far, hot-lines exist only in a limited number of Member States. Their creation needs to be stimulated so that there are hot-lines operating covering the Union both geographically and linguistically. Mechanisms for exchange of information between the national hot-lines, and between the European network and hot-lines in third countries need to be put in place.

In order for this network to develop its full potential, it is necessary to improve cooperation between industry and law-enforcement authorities, ensure Europe-wide coverage and cooperation, and increase effectiveness through exchange of information and experience.

This action will take the form of a call for proposals for participating organisations (20-25) to establish a European network of hot-lines, and links between this network and hot-lines in third countries, develop common approaches and stimulate transfer of know-how and best practice.

The participating organisations will be supported by a cross-section of industry actors (access and service providers, telecoms operators, national hot-line operators) and users. They will have to demonstrate a forward-looking and innovative approach, in particular in their relationship with national law-enforcement authorities.


1.2. Encouraging self-regulation and codes of conduct

For the industry to contribute effectively to restricting the flow of illegal and harmful content, it is also important to encourage enterprises to develop a self-regulatory framework through cooperation between them and the other parties concerned. The self-regulatory mechanism should provide a high level of protection and address questions of traceability.

In view of the transnational nature of communications networks, the effectiveness of self-regulation measures will be strengthened, at European Union level, by coordination of national initiatives between the bodies responsible for their implementation.

Under this action line, guidelines at European level will be developed for codes of conduct, to build consensus for their application and support their implementation. This action will be carried out through a call for tender to select organisations that can assist self-regulatory bodies in developing and implementing codes of conduct. In connection with the establishment of codes of conduct, a system of visible 'quality-site labels` will be encouraged to assist users in identifying Internet service providers that adhere to codes of conduct. Measures will be taken carefully to monitor progress. This will be done in close coordination with the promotion of common guidelines for the implementation, at national level, of a self-regulation framework as advocated by the Council recommendation on protection of minors and human dignity.


2. Action line 2. Developing filtering and rating systems

To promote safer use of the Internet, it is important to make content easier to identify. This can be done through a rating system which describes the content in accordance with a generally recognised scheme (for instance, where items such as sex or violence are rated on a scale) and by filtering systems which empower the user to select the content he/she wishes to receive. Ratings may be attached by the content provider or provided by a third-party rating service. There are a number of possible filtering and rating systems. However, their level of sophistication is still low and none has yet reached the 'critical mass` where users can be sure that content in which they are interested and content which they wish to avoid will be rated appropriately and that perfectly innocuous content will not be blocked. Uptake of rating systems by European content providers and users remains low.

The measures under this action line will focus on demonstrating the potential and the limitations of filtering and rating systems in a real world environment, with the objective of encouraging the establishment of European systems and familiarising users with their use. Filtering and rating systems must be internationally compatible and interoperable and developed with full cooperation of representatives of industry, consumers and users.


2.1. Demonstrating the benefits of filtering and rating

Rating systems will be stimulated which should be internationally compatible and are relevant to European requirements and which ensure that filtering and rating is implemented in a way which provides workable options in practice for users, parents and teachers. In order to build critical mass, a wide coverage of sites should be obtained. Action will therefore be taken to stimulate use of rating by content providers. Rating carried out by independent third parties ensures a standard approach to content rating and deals with cases where the content provider fails to rate properly. There is a need to meet specific requirements of business, institutional or educational users as well as those of end users not met by the content provider's rating system.

Following a call for proposals, projects will be selected to validate rating systems in relation to European content, to encourage integration of rating into the content creation process and to demonstrate benefits of these technical solutions. Emphasis will be placed on usefulness and practicality in 'real-world` situations involving a large cross-section of typical users. This could also include tests as to the secureness of filtering software against attempts to bypass or deactivate it.

A second call for proposals will particularly target the validation and demonstration of third-party rating systems.

In order to obtain maximum benefit from the demonstration projects, it is necessary to assess their impact and to ensure European-wide dissemination of their results. Evaluation of the demonstration projects and dissemination of their results will be the subject of a call for tenders.

The demonstration projects under this Action line can make an important contribution to the awareness actions to be carried out under action line 3.

The demonstration projects will involve industry (self-regulatory bodies, access and service providers, content providers, network operators, software houses), user, consumer and citizens rights groups and government bodies involved in industry regulation and law enforcement.


2.2. Facilitating international agreement on rating systems

International cooperation between operators and other concerned parties in the European Union and their partners in other regions of the world is particularly necessary in the field of rating, in order to ensure interoperability.

Work is already under way in a number of bodies dealing with protocols and with the design of a rating system to deal with the various requirements. It is essential that Europe's voice be heard in international discussions and concertation meetings will be organised to ensure this.


3. Action line 3. Encouraging awareness actions

The public is increasingly engaging in Internet activity and reaping the benefits of the new services. At the same time, there is a degree of uncertainty as to how to deal with every aspect of network communication; parents, teachers and children need to be made aware of the potential of the Internet and its drawbacks and do not always have sufficient knowledge about the means to protect children from undesirable content. Awareness actions contribute to the trust and confidence of parents and teachers in safer use of the Internet by children.

Awareness is also the necessary complement of action lines 1 and 2, since the actions of industry to implement self-regulation and filtering and rating will bear fruit only if users and potential users are aware of them.

The European Parliament has called for the implementation of a European campaign and an information and awareness action programme, to be funded by the EU budget, to inform parents and all people dealing with children (teachers, social workers, etc.) on the best way (including technical aspects) to protect minors against exposure to content that could be harmful to their development, so as to ensure their well-being.

European action, on the basis of actions undertaken by the Member States, will contribute to reinforcement of synergy, in particular through exchange of information and experience. The action plan will initiate awareness actions that will build on the dissemination of information from access providers to customers, and also develop material for use in the education sector.

The awareness initiatives will take advantage of the awareness actions carried out under other programmes, in particular the MIDAS-NET established under INFO 2000. If there is more than one equal option for distributing information to target groups, the most cost-effective one shall be chosen. Whenever possible and useful, electronic distribution should be given priority.

This action will be carried out in two stages. In the first stage the best means of achieving the objectives will be identified and in the second stage multiplier organisations in the Member States - such as consumer bodies and other relevant associations - will be assisted to implement actions nationally.


3.1. Preparing the ground for awareness actions

In the first phase a call for proposals will be launched for a preparatory action which will identify multiplier organisations and the most appropriate channels, media and content to reach the target audience, prepare basic material, adapt it for linguistic and cultural specificities and take account of the results of demonstration projects under action line 2, which will make an important contribution to the content of awareness actions. An implementation plan will be prepared.

The target audience is parents and teachers, and the action will involve industry (Internet service providers, content providers) and multipliers, e.g. consumer associations and the education sector.


3.2. Encouraging implementation of full-scale awareness actions

A second call for proposals will select initiatives for Community support for follow-up action in all Member States using the multiplier organisations and the channels, media and content identified in the preparatory action. The purpose of the action is to make adults (parents and teachers) aware of the potential and the drawbacks of the Internet, and of the means to identify useful content and how to block harmful content.

Actions will be appropriate for the needs of Member States and may differ according to their size, population, degree of Internet use, etc. Actions will be of two types: those focused on teachers and the education sector and those with a broader focus aimed at the general public (parents and children).

Actions aimed at teachers could include workshops and preparation of specific printed and multimedia material for distribution to a large cross-section of members of the profession. Special 'netdays` (a series of special events aimed at increasing user awareness) can be organised in collaboration with the 'Learning in the information society action plan`, which has wide support from industry. Typical actions aimed at the general public would include: creation of websites and distribution of information material in schools, through access providers and through shops and other outlets selling computers, distribution of CD-ROMs on computer magazines. More specific information can be given in connection with the purchase of equipment or software designed to access networks, or by Internet access providers to new subscribers. Traditional media (press, television) would also be used to stimulate awareness through publicity campaigns and information packs for journalists. Using the platform of the European network of schools, which is being set up with the support of the education ministries of Member States, special webpages will be created and maintained.

The purpose of the Community support is to pump-prime large-scale awareness actions and to provide overall coordination and exchange of experience so that lessons can be drawn from the results of the action on an ongoing basis (for instance by adapting the material distributed). Community funding will in general not exceed one third of eligible costs. The use of existing networks will permit cost saving, but additional financing is required to produce the relevant content.


4. Action line 4. Support actions


4.1. Assessing legal implications

The Internet operates on a global basis. The law operates on a territorial basis - national or, in the case of Community law, covering the European Union. It will contribute to the effectiveness of the other action lines by considering legal questions not dealt with by other Community initiatives, in particular including questions of applicable law and procedure.

If necessary, a call for tenders could be organised for an assessment of legal questions raised by the content or the use of Internet, in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 5.


4.2. Coordination with similar international initiatives

The recommendation on protection of minors and human dignity calls on the Commission to promote international cooperation in the various fields covered by that recommendation, particularly through the sharing of experience and good practices between operators and other concerned parties in the European Union and their partners in other regions of the world. It is therefore necessary to ensure coherence between European action and similar initiatives in other parts of the world. Regular concertation meetings will help to achieve this.

An international conference, agreed in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 5, might allow the experience gained through the action lines to be shared with actors concerned both in Europe and more widely. This could deal with all of the issues addressed by the action plan and bring together industry (self-regulatory bodies, access and service providers, content providers, network operators, software houses), user, consumer and citizens rights groups and government bodies involved in industry regulation and law enforcement. Such a conference could also be instrumental in disseminating the results of the action plan.

The Conference would build on the results of other conferences on related themes and thus avoid duplication of efforts.

The Commission will consult the committee referred to in Article 5 before organising such a conference.


4.3. Evaluating the impact of Community measures

It is obviously important to make an in-depth evaluation whether the objectives of the action plan and the recommendation have been achieved. Possible further measures which should be taken by industry, Community institutions, Member States or consumer representatives could also be identified in that way. The evaluation will be carried out in liaison with evaluating the measures taken to protect minors and human dignity foreseen by the recommendation on protection of minors and human dignity and will be launched through a call for tenders.


ANNEX II

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ANNEX III


THE MEANS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE ACTION PLAN

1. The Commission will implement the action plan in accordance with the technical content specified in Annex I.

2. The action plan will be performed through indirect action and wherever possible on a shared-cost basis. The Community's financial contribution should not exceed the minimum considered necessary for a project and shall be granted, in principle, only if the project meets financial obstacles which cannot otherwise be overcome. In addition, the Community's financial contribution shall not normally exceed 50 % of the cost of the project, except in duly justified cases.

3. The selection of shared-cost projects will normally be based on the usual procedure of calls for proposals published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. The content of the calls for proposals will be defined in close consultation with the relevant experts and according to the procedures referred to in the Decision. The main criterion for supporting projects through calls for proposals will be their potential contribution to achieving the objectives of the action plan.

4. Applications for Community support should provide, where appropriate, a financial plan listing all the components of the funding of the projects, including the financial support requested from the Community, and any other requests for or grants of support from other sources.

5. The Commission may also implement a funding scheme more flexible than the call for proposals in order to provide incentives for the creation of partnerships, in particular involving SMEs and organisations in less favoured regions, and for the establishment of long-term measures against illegal and harmful content on the Internet. This scheme might be operated on a permanent basis.

6. The Commission will make provision for considering in exceptional cases unsolicited project proposals which involve a particularly urgent measure following technological changes that call for change of action.

7. The detailed arrangements for the procedures referred to under points 5 and 6 will be implemented in accordance with Article 5 of this Decision and the Commission's financial regulations. They will be published in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

8. Projects fully financed by the Commission within the framework of study and services contracts will be implemented through calls for tenders in accordance with the financial provisions. Transparency will be achieved by consulting external groups of experts (the Internet Working Party and the Legal Advisory Board) as well as actively using the information services of the Commission in connection with the awareness measures.

9. In the course of the action plan, the Commission will also undertake preparatory, accompanying and support activities designed to achieve the general objectives of the action plan and the specific aims of each action line. This includes activities such as: studies in support of the general goals of the action plan; preliminary actions in preparation of future activities; measures aimed at facilitating participation in measures under the action plan as well as facilitating access to the results produced by action plan initiatives.

10. All projects receiving financial support will be required to display an acknowledgement of the support received.