Ewa KOPACZ

Policy topics Ewa KOPACZ is active on

What Ewa KOPACZ has said (11)

• 2026-06-17 “Thank you very much, president. Ladies and gentlemen, how much time does your child spend on their phone every day? How much time do you spend with the child? This is a question that everyone is asking. Nearly 40 countries are already proposing or implementing age restrictions for social media. It is good that Europe is joining this conversation. It is good that we are doing it collectively. If we do not teach our children what respect and closeness are, an algorithm will tell them, an algorithm that has no interest whatsoever in telling them the truth. Its interest lies in keeping the child on the platform as long as possible. It is there that children's daily lives unfold. It is there that they share their successes and, seek comfort and fight for recognition and a sense of belonging. Meanwhile, it is algorithms that are increasingly shaping young people's perceptions of relationship, their body, of what they are allowed to expect from others. Girls are learning how to look. Boys are learning how to treat girls. And neither of them receives any empathy or critical, thinking skills from the platform. The data is clear. The rise in anxiety, repression, and body image disorders among teenagers coincides with the proliferation of social media. These are the children who tell psychologist psychologists that they are not good enough, that they don't look the way they should. That is why we should continue to enact, legislation and ensure that platforms implement safe algorithms. Technology will never replace a human being, and the converse conversation with a bot cannot replace a relationship with another person. If we protect children at school and at home and on the playground, we must also protect them online where they now spend a significant part of their lives.”
  Age restrictions on children's access to social media
• “Thank you very much, chairman. Thank you to our experts members. I'm taking the floor today as the coordinator of the European Parliament's Children's Rights Network, but also on behalf of our younger citizens. And let me begin by quoting a recommendation to you. We recommend regulating a minimum age for consuming energy drinks, setting it at 16. We recommend raising awareness as to the negative impacts of these energy drinks on the health of young people. We recommend regulation on the placing of labelling on energy drink cans and bottles, warning of the health risks labels that are similar to those found on cigarette packs. We also want to regulate that the packets are less attractive looking to young people. That quote comes from a document drafted by young people and teenagers from 14 European countries. Their recommendation on promoting young people's health and promoting physical activity amongst young people was supported by the European Network of Spokespersons for Young People, and I would ask you to look at that document. There are very clever, intelligent and useful set of recommendations. Now I'm a paediatrician, and I know the negative effect that consuming stimulants can have on the health of children, be it sugar, caffeine or other. It affects their physical and psychological health in a period when they are growing and growing up.”
  EU measures on lifestyle-related behaviours (smoking, drinking, eating, etc.)
• “Thank you very much. Now, for a number of years, I've been participating in the public discussion on child and adolescent safety in a digital environment. We respond to the concerns that are raised by social workers, parents. And the concerns we hear really prompt us in the European institutions to safeguard and protect vulnerable children and adolescents. For them, the online environment is something they spend time in every day. And we need to ensure that they are effectively protected. It's up to us adults to protect children, protect minors not only in the streets, but online as well. The World Health Organization has warned us that young children should have no or limited access to the online environment. Because they are at a stage of very early development, and exposure at this stage to the online environment can be extremely harmful, leading to mental health issues. Anxiety, depression. Studies have shown that on average. Children get their first smartphone at eight, and by ten they are regularly on their own online without anybody to protect their interests. And there they are vulnerable to abuse, to illicit and unhealthy practices. Behind the closed doors of their bedroom. So it's the situation that they're exposed to inappropriate content that can be harmful to their mental health. The dramatic consequences are clear, and very few parents actually know what their children are doing online. Parents who actually limit the access of their children to the internet are in the minority.”
  Safety features & content control for child protection online
• “Thank you very much. So, ladies and gentlemen, we move on to the catch the eye procedure. And I would ask you to be brief. You have one minute each. I won't give everybody the floor, unfortunately, but the first speaker will be Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar.”
  EU public communication strategy
• “Children are victims of the most cruel forms of violence. They are recruited as soldiers for private armies and recruited by organized crime groups. There is a huge burden that is falling of of suffering and trauma that is falling on children, which leaves a mark on the later adult life affecting the situation of the entire society. Today's children are will be building these societies in the future. 35 years ago in the world, a new era of the children's rights has begun. The EU and conventions. More than a set of rules. It's a promise. It's a promise that we adults have given to children of the entire world, declaring that their rights will be protected, that their voice will be heard, and their needs will be treated with all seriousness. For the convention to be efficient, and together with the additional protocols, it has to be well implemented and well executed by the governments of all the countries, without any exceptions. There, there is no place for compromise here. So I'm counting on a very interesting, fruitful debate and clear recommendations for further actions which needs to be implemented so that the children's rights are protected not only in the European Union, but in the entire world. Thank you very much. Wishing you a good debate.”
  EU competences on human rights
• “Madam president, ladies and gentlemen, violence. Sexual violence against children is not something you can discuss calmly. Every such act is a lifelong trauma. It's the destruction of the life of a child and something from which it is virtually impossible to recover. Apparently, on the internet, there are Millions of these images are child abuse images involving children against whom violence is being committed. We all have to act against this violence. We cannot just leave it to law enforcement. We have to start with prevention and education. The member states have to educate our children based on facts, not myths. We also need an early warning system. We need comprehensive support for victims. We need legislation which serves prevention. And we need international responsibility, harmonised investigation standards. And we need a European standard for. Dealing with this. We don't need more words. We need immediate, bold decisions, including legislation. I am sure that tomorrow, each and every one of us will have the courage to make the necessary decisions. Thank you.”
  Privacy & detection of online child abuse
• “Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Dear guests, dear colleagues. At the beginning, I would like to thank you very much. I would like to thank the Commission for organising today's hearing, the International Day of Rights of the child and 25th anniversary of the signing of the UN convention on the rights of of the child is not only an occasion to celebrate at the European Parliament, but also an occasion to reflect on how effective we, the adults, caregivers and politicians, how we protect, Observe and respect these rights. There is still much to be done. It was very clear during the debate which I initiated last week in Strasbourg at the plenary session. We talked about violations of children's rights during armed conflicts around the world, the impact of climate change and the migration migration, it calls it. But we also talked about poverty affecting children, discrimination and digital threats. The discussion was heated, but this means that the fate of children's is important to us. I am glad that today we can continue this discussion among experts from the European institutions, from the expert, from the United Nations and representatives of the social society. Then we continue the discussion about children's rights in the context of the EU's external policies, the European Union is committed to children, and promotion and protection of the rights has been a priority enshrined in both the EU treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights.”
  Child poverty policy
• “In which case the minutes will be deemed to be adopted. We now move on to the next item of our agenda. Decision of the Azerbaijani Parliament on suspending cooperation with the European Parliament on behalf of the European People's Party. Christian Democrats. I give the floor to Mr. Oliver Schenk. Two minutes.”
  EU-Azerbaijan relations
• “Thank you, chairman, for a child experiencing violence, be it in the real world or online every day, lived in fear, shame and a sense of loneliness is one day too many. This is why I do appreciate this list of actions presented by the Commission, and I appreciate the fact that the voice of the European Parliament has been taken into account, as we have long been calling for filling the gaps in legislation so that all Member States can effectively implement and enforce the provisions of the Digital Services Act. Platforms and social media must finally treat the safety of the youngest internet users as a priority, and they should stop getting rich at the expense of their mental health. We have a clear task ahead of us. Eu and national law must be a shield protecting the youngest from violence, including that occurring on the internet. A common definition of cyberbullying is a good step in this direction. The next one will be for member states to introduce provisions into their criminal codes so that every form of violence, including that committed online, is properly punished. I am glad that during the work on this action plan, the voice of children was heard 6500 children and teenagers from across the union, and their message is shocking as these young people made it clear cyber violence is their everyday reality. Personally, I find the prevalence of this phenomenon terrifying. Young people expect from us effective regulations, simple mechanisms for reporting cyber violence and certainty that platforms will take every report seriously. We adults also have a role to play. We must teach children critical thinking, talk to them about rules and respect online so that they can recognise dangers, but also so that they themselves do not become aggressors. Let us remember, the role of adults is not only to protect, but also to wisely accompany children in their digital journey. Thank you.”
  Safety features & content control for child protection online
• “Thank you. I hereby close the debate. The vote will take place tomorrow. Now, let's proceed to the next point on our agenda, which is the report by Ralf Seekatz. Banking union. The annual report for 2020. For now, I would like the rapporteur to speak, Ralf Seekatz.”
  European Banking Union
• “It's quite clear that drinking energy drinks is not the only cause of obesity amongst children. Or the cardiac problems we're seeing or the physical health problems we're seeing. The problem is more complex than that. However, it's indisputable that some consumers who use energy drinks the most often are the group between 10 and 18 years of age. There are other unhealthy habits, and it's one of the standard ingredients of daily life of many children around Europe. Now some countries ban energy drinks for children. Others, like Norway, are limiting the adverts aimed at children for these drinks. Now, of course, we can talk about the effectiveness of these bans, but we can't ignore the issue. It's high time that we looked at this in a systemic way, and how to protect young people and children in the EU. We need to give them access to healthy food, and we need to regulate marketing practices undertaken by the companies producing these drinks. So thank you very much for this discussion. I think we have to now. We politicians have to now think about this issue, as do parents and of course, as should the producers of these drinks. Thank you very much.”
  EU measures on lifestyle-related behaviours (smoking, drinking, eating, etc.)