FITUG e.V.
Förderverein Informationstechnik und Gesellschaft
FITUG e.V.Förderverein Informationstechnik und Gesellschaft |
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393rd plenary session of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) this week: the last session of the current four-year mandate
DN: CES/02/67 Date: 18/09/2002
TXT: FR EN PDF: FR EN DOC: FR EN
CES/02/67 Brussels, 16 September 2002
393rd plenary session of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) this week: the last session of the current four-year mandate
The EESC's 393rd plenary session will be held at the Committee building, 2 Rue Ravenstein, Brussels, on Wednesday, 18 September (starting at 2.30 p.m.) and Thursday, 19 September (9 a.m.). Mr Pat Cox, president of the European Parliament, is the special guest of this final plenary session of the current four-year mandate (his address is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Wednesday, 18 September).
Highlights: Adoption of a resolution to the European Convention (at approx. 3.30 p.m. on 18/9), plus opinions on safer use of the internet, the impact of enlargement on EMU, and safety on EU railways.
A press conference will be held with Mr Göke Frerichs, EESC president, on Thursday, 19 September at 10.30 a.m. Mr Frerichs will give an assessment of the Committee's activities during the two years of his presidency and present the EESC's resolution to the European Convention.
Key opinions:
- Action plan on safer use of the Internet
Rapporteur: Mrs Ann Davison (Various Interests United Kingdom)
Main points of the draft opinion: The Committee is sceptical about the sufficiency of self-regulation. In particular, self-regulation has not achieved content protection for children, because rating systems have not been adopted by a critical mass, although Microsoft and AOL have recently followed EESC advice to put pressure on content providers to rate their material.
Racism on the Internet also needs a much firmer approach. Ninety per cent of the sites operate through US ISPs, safe in the knowledge that the EU authorities cannot compel US providers to reveal the identity of the site provider. Content providers should always register real world addresses so that police access to potentially suspicious on- line material can be improved. Whilst freedom of expression is to be valued, it should not be an excuse for allowing crime to flourish.
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