Carolina MORACE

Policy topics Carolina MORACE is active on

What Carolina MORACE has said (39)

• 2026-06-17 “Thank you, president. New generations are growing up in a digital environment that isn't there to protect them. It's designed to make sure that they spend as much time as possible before a screen. We cannot accept that time, emotions, and the vulnerability of our children become a resource, that will align the pockets of companies and increase, clicks. Young people are isolated. There is anxiety, depression, cyberbullying among other things. It cannot just be up to the goodwill of big tech. We need clear European rules, proper age verification rules, put an end to manipulative mechanisms, and we need more digital literacy in schools. The EU can has to act. We have to protect children and teenagers online. That doesn't mean we should curtail their freedom, but we have to protect their right to grow up, to socialize, and to live without becoming products that others exploit.”
  Safety features & content control for child protection online
• 2026-02-25 “Answer given by Ms Albuquerque on behalf of the European Commission 22.5.2026 Written question The qualification of a pension scheme, including whether it provides retirement benefits within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2016/2341 of the European Parliament and of the Council [1] must be assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the activities carried out, the characteristics of the scheme, and the nature and purpose of the benefits provided, irrespective of its legal form or designation under national law. Where a scheme falls within the scope of the directive, members should have access to clear and adequate information on their rights and on the management of the scheme. Members are also to be provided with regular, accurate information on that scheme, including on accrued entitlements, contributions and costs and on the financial position and investment policy of the scheme. The Commission does not systematically check individual schemes. Responsibility for ensuring compliance with the applicable requirements of EU law lies with the competent authorities of the Member States, including whether a particular scheme falls within the scope of the directive. The Commission continues to work on strengthening occupational retirement provision at EU level, and notably through its proposal to review the directive [2] . That proposal aims to strengthen trust in supplementary pensions and to support better returns and outcomes for savers by enhancing the framework, improving governance and risk management, and enabling more effective long-term investment of retirement savings across sectors. That proposal also seeks to improve transparency for institutions falling within the scope of that directive and on the information provided to members and beneficiaries, while respecting Member States’ competences. [1] Directive (EU) 2016/2341 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2016 on the activities and supervision of institutions for occupational retirement provision (IORPs) (recast) (OJ L 354, 23.12.2016, p. 37, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2016/2341/oj). [2] COM/2025/842 final.”
  EU policy on aging workforce and pensions · EU competences on social policies
• 2026-02-25 “Answer given by Executive Vice-President Fitto on behalf of the European Commission 5.5.2026 Written question Italy's Recovery and Resilience plan (RRP) [1] includes reform 4.1 on the regulation ordering of the professions of tourist guides, linked to milestone M1C3-10 on the definition of a national standard for tourist guides, which does not cover the organisation of the examination. The Commission approved the RRP [2] and its costing assessment, as per the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) Regulation [3] . The Commission positively assessed milestone M1C3-10 in its preliminary assessment of the sixth payment request [4] , which entailed a minimum national standard for the ordering of the profession of tourist guides [5] that fully replaced the former fragmentation and the absence of a nation-wide applicable legislation. The implementing Decree [6] provides for the elements considered as the minimum national standard. The current legislative framework as such is considered to comply with the requirements contained in the Council Implementing Decision [7] . The reform, within the framework of the RRP, did not provide for associated funding in the form of investment. The Commission raised to Italy that any regulation affecting access to professions must be justified and proportionate under EU law and its impact monitored. While exams are a national responsibility, the Commission stresses that access to regulated professions should not face disproportionate or unjustified barriers and must comply with EU law. Concerning employment and skills objectives, the Commission recalls that reforms supported under the RRF are expected to contribute to improving labour market participation and addressing skills shortages, in line with relevant EU law and initiatives [8] . Beyond the Commission’s role as Treaty guardian, Member States must ensure their laws comply with Union and national law. [1] https://reforms-investments.ec.europa.eu/italys-recovery-and-resilience-plan_en. [2] https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-15106-2025-ADD-1/en/pdf. [3] Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 February 2021 establishing the Recovery and Resilience Facility, OJ L 57, 18.2.2021, pp. 17-75. [4] https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/837036ec-4d29-48cc-8877-30996d431669_en?filename=payment_positive_preliminary_assessment_of_the_sixth_payment_request_of_Italy.pdf. [5] Law no. 190 of 2023. [6] Decree of the Ministry of Tourism no. 88 of 26 June 2024. [7] https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-15106-2025-ADD-1/en/pdf. [8] Decision (EU) 2020/1512, European Skills Agenda and ‘Union of Skills’ Communication, 2025.”
  EU strategy for tourism development
• 2026-01-28 “E-000342/2026 Answer given by Mr Tzitzikostas on behalf of the European Commission In general, road signs are established in the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals 1 (the Convention); the Member States are contracting parties to this Convention. The Convention allows for a certain flexibility concerning the colour of certain symbols or the background, e.g., signs notifying an entry to or an exit from a motorway, or an entry to or exit from a road on which the traffic rules are the same as on a motorway, shall have blue or green ground. Nonetheless, application of the Convention is not subject to any legal obligation established at EU level. Traffic regulation falls completely in the competence of the Member States. Therefore, the Commission does not plan to take any action in this domain for the time being. Further harmonisation and introduction of new signs should be done in the framework of the Convention. 1 https://unece.org/DAM/trans/conventn/Conv_road_signs_2006v_EN.pdf.”
  EU transport infrastructure integration
• 2025-10-13 “E-004006/2025 Answer given by Mr McGrath on behalf of the European Commission The freedom of assembly, association and expression are fundamental rights enshrined in Articles 11 and 12 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights 1 . The Commission promotes and protects fundamental rights by ensuring that all legislative, policy and administrative measures falling under EU competence comply with the Charter. As set out in previous replies 2 , the Commission condemns any disproportionate use of force or violence. Any use of force by law enforcement authorities must always be proportionate and controlled. The maintenance of law and order and the safeguarding of internal security in the Member States, including policing laws and the regulation of demonstrations, fall within national competence. It is for Member States to ensure that fundamental rights are protected. National authorities must investigate cases of reported police brutality and ensure that justice is served. The Commission is not allowed to intervene in national judiciary decisions. The Commission monitors the situation of the rule of law in all Member States and can make recommendations in that respect, which can also relate to the application of bans or other restrictions of protests and policing practices 3 . The European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) provides training activities with the aim of promoting common respect for, and understanding of, fundamental rights in law enforcement, including police ethics and integrity. The Justice and Home Affairs Agencies have created a Fundamental Rights toolkit shared with Member States’ national authorities to ensure that a fundamental rights approach is applied in national training activities. 1 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/treaty/char_2012/oj/eng. 2 E-003732/2020, E-005750/2020, E-006692/2020, E-001857/2021, E-003458/2021 and E-000040/2022. 3 The most recent Rule of Law Report was published on 8 July 2025: https://commission.europa.eu/publications/2025-rule-law-report-communication-and-country-chapters_en”
  EU law enforcement cooperation in criminal matters · EU Supervision of the Rule of Law
• 2025-09-17 “E-003574/2025 Answer given by Ms Lahbib on behalf of the European Commission The Commission reaffirms gender equality as a priority, as highlighted in the Roadmap for Women’s Rights 1 and the commitment to adopting a new Gender Equality Strategy 20262030. This includes ensuring equal opportunities and access to vocational training as well as upskilling and reskilling, in line with the Roadmap for Women’s Rights. The upcoming Gender Equality Strategy will build on the principles and objectives outlined in the Declaration for a gender-equal society annexed to the Roadmap 2 . Member States have a primary responsibility to monitor the application of the relevant legal provisions and to take the necessary steps for enforcement. In its role as guardian of the Treaties, the Commission monitors the situation and may decide to take appropriate action. Article 27 of the Italian National Code of Equal Opportunities between Women and Men (Decree No. 198/2006) establishes the prohibition of discrimination on access to and content of vocational training, thus transposing Article 14 of Directive 2006/54/EC. Under Article 17 of the Treaty of the European Union, the Commission will continue monitoring the correct transposition and implementation of Directive 2006/54/EC by Italy. The Commission aims to swiftly follow up on systemic issues involving the application of EU law in EU countries. 1 https://commission.europa.eu/document/0c3fe55d-9e4f-4377-9d14-93d03398b434_en. 2 https://commission.europa.eu/document/6342a1c7-acb4-4ed5-827a-14e67926afad_en.”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion
• 2025-07-16 “E-002934/2025 Answer given by Ms Kos on behalf of the European Commission The Commission takes note of the reports regarding the potential misuse of legal procedures to target the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) persons in the Republic of Moldova. To ensure accountability, the EU is closely monitoring prison conditions and the rule of law in the Republic of Moldova, working with the Council of Europe and with civil society and independent non-governmental organisations to uphold human rights standards and transparency. Progress in the Republic of Moldova’s EU accession process remains conditional on meaningful judicial reforms, as highlighted in the Commission’s 2024 Enlargement Report 1 , to eliminate legal abuses and safeguard the rights of vulnerable persons, including from the LGBTIQ community. The EU remains committed to supporting the Republic of Moldova on its European path and the Commission will continue to raise the rights of vulnerable persons in the political dialogue. The Commission will continue supporting measures to tackle violence, hatred and discrimination against LGBTIQ people. Further steps in the accession process will depend on demonstrable progress in strengthening the rule of law, tackling discrimination, and ensuring equality for all citizens. 1 https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/moldova-report-2024_en.”
  LGBTIQ+ · EU-Moldova relations
• 2025-07-16 “E-002933/2025 Answer given by Ms Lahbib on behalf of the European Commission The Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) is the Council of Europe’s body mandated to monitor the implementation of the Istanbul Convention. Based on GREVIO’s baseline evaluation report of Greece’s implementation of the Convention, Recommendations 1 were issued, i.a., to ensure that children exposed to domestic violence receive support and ensure that courts are obliged to consider all issues relating to violence when taking decisions related to custody and visitation rights. Directive (EU) 2024/1385 2 requires Member States to ensure that: a child is provided adequate support as soon as the competent authorities have reasonable grounds to believe they might have been subject to or witnessed domestic violence; judges have access to information regarding cases of violence involving children to be taken into account in civil proceedings (e.g. when deciding custody or visitation rights); safe places (supervised by trained professionals) are established to allow safe contact between a child and a holder of parental responsibility who is an offender. The Directive must be transposed by June 2027. The Commission is holding implementation workshops with Member States to ensure its complete and timely transposition. Furthermore, child victims of domestic violence can benefit from the Victims’ Rights Directive 3 as well as from the provisions of its revision 4 once the latter is adopted. The EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child and the Commission Recommendation on Integrated Child Protection Systems call on Member States to ensure early identification, coordinated intervention, and child-friendly justice in case of violence against children. If the holder of parental responsibility is involved, or if a conflict of interest exists, the child’s best interests must prevail. 1 https://rm.coe.int/ic-cp-inf-2023-14-cop-recommendation-on-greece-/1680ada32d. 2 Directive (EU) 2024/1385 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 on combating violence against women and domestic violence, OJ L, 2024/1385, 24.5.2024, pp. 1-36, implements the requirements of the Istanbul Convention in the area of judicial cooperation in criminal matters. 3 Directive 2012/29/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime, and replacing Council Framework Decision 2001/220/JHA, OJ L 315, 14.11.2012, pp. 57-73. 4 To strengthen the rights of victims of crime in the EU, including the rights of the most vulnerable victims, such as child victims, in July 2023 the Commission adopted a proposal for the revision of the Victims’ Rights Directive that is currently under negotiations by the co-legislators. For reference: Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2012/29/EU establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime, and replacing Council Framework Decision 2001/220/JHA, COM/2023/424 final.”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion · EU policy on victims' compensation rights
• 2025-06-11 “E-002365/2025 Answer given by Ms Lahbib on behalf of the European Commission Critical medicine is defined as medicines for which insufficient supply may result in serious harm or risk of serious harm to patients. It is identified by combining two criteria: the seriousness of the disease concerned, and the availability of appropriate alternative treatments. A medicine must also meet additional criteria to be included in the list, such as a defined number of Member States that consider the medicine to be critical or the marketing status of the medicine. The common methodology to draw up the list was developed with input from key stakeholder groups, including patient and healthcare professionals’ organisations, and pharmaceutical industry associations. Once the proposed reform of the pharmaceutical legislation will enter into force, the methodology and Union List will be formalised. The Union List of critical medicines is important to prioritise EU actions on security of supply, including through the measures foreseen under the proposed Critical Medicines Act. Nevertheless, medicines that are not included in the Union list may also be important for healthcare systems and the Member States and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) will continue to address the risk of supply disruptions through the existing framework for handling shortages. In accordance with Article 168(7) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Union action shall respect the responsibilities of the Member States for the definition of their health policy and for the organisation and delivery of health services and medical care; this includes sexual and reproductive health services, including abortion and emergency contraception.”
  Sexuality and reproduction · Government stockpiling of critical medicines · Pharmaceuticals regulation in EU
• 2025-05-12 “E-001871/2025 Answer given by Mr McGrath on behalf of the European Commission Under the EU Treaties, family law, including rules on the definition of family or rules on surrogacy, falls under the competence of Member States. Member States are already required by EU law on free movement to recognise parenthood established in another Member State for the purposes of children’s rights under EU law 1 ,irrespective of how the child was conceived or born. Those rights that children derive from EU law include their right to reside in another Member State, their right to obtain travel documentation and their right to equal treatment with the nationals of the host Member State in matters covered by the Treaties. The Commission will monitor the developments with the application of Italy’s law on surrogacy as regards the situation of children born from surrogacy in view of their rights derived from EU law. The Commission proposal on the recognition of parenthood between Member States 2 based on Art 81(3) TFEU does not affect the rules of the Member States on surrogacy. The proposal would require the Member States to recognise parenthood as established in another Member State for all purposes, including children’s rights derived from parenthood under national law, such as their right to inherit, obtain maintenance and be represented by either parent in another Member State on matters such as their schooling and health. The proposal would apply to all children irrespective of how they were conceived or born and irrespective of their type of family. 1 Judgment of the CJEU in case C-490/20, VMA. 2 COM(2022) 695 final, adopted on 7 December 2022.”
  EU competences on human rights · Sexuality and reproduction · Regulation of surrogate pregnancy
• 2025-03-18 “E-001136/2025 Answer given by Mr McGrath on behalf of the European Commission The Commission is committed to ensuring a high level of human health protection as provided for in Article 168 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). The Unfair Commercial Practices Directive 2005/29/EC 1 prohibits misleading or aggressive advertising affecting consumers’ transactional decisions, especially when it targets vulnerable consumers. The Audiovisual Media Services Directive 2010/13/EU 2 lays down minimum qualitative requirements for audiovisual commercial communications and, for example, requires that they are recognisable and do not cause physical, mental or moral detriment to minors. Member States authorities and courts are primarily responsible for the enforcement of both Directive 2005/29/EC and Directive 2010/13/EU. The Commission does not plan to propose specific EU legislation to ban gambling advertising. National gambling laws regulate such matters. However, the Commission works on a Digital Fairness Act which will tackle, among other issues, addictive design of digital services and gambling-simulating features (loot boxes) in video games. Article 35 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights cannot constitute a legal basis for the adoption of policy measures to combat illegal gambling or prevent gambling addiction. Its scope is limited; it applies to EU institutions or Member States when they implement EU law (Article 51§1 of the Charter). With respect to Malta’s recently adopted Bill 55, the Commission has opened the infringement procedure under Article 258 of the TFEU against Malta (INFR(2025)2100) on 18 June 2025. 1 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2005/29/oj/eng. 2 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2010/13/oj/eng.”
  Jurisdiction conflicts between EU and national courts · Anti-money laundering regulation
• 2025-03-18 “E-001135/2025 Answer given by Ms Lahbib on behalf of the European Commission The free movement acquis provides for the compulsory recognition of partnerships for the exercise of the rights derived from EU law. If the registered partnership is recognised by the host Member State as equivalent to marriage, the partner of the mobile EU citizen falls under the definition of core family member 1 . If not, the partner can be considered as an extended family member if the partnership is durable 2 . Since Directive 2004/38/EC on free movement 3 is gender-neutral, the recognition obligation applies to both same-sex and opposite-sex partnerships. Substantive family law, including rules on the definition of marriage and registered partnership, falls within the competence of the Member States. The obligation to recognise a marriage or a partnership is currently, under EU law, limited to the recognition for the exercise of the rights derived from EU law. The EU has not adopted rules on the recognition of marriage or registered partnerships for the purposes of rights derived from national law (such as maintenance, property regimes and succession). This recognition is currently governed by the national law of each Member State. However, the EU has adopted genderneutral instruments on family law with cross-border implications and succession that apply to all couples, including same-sex couples 4 . These instruments aim to facilitate Member States’ recognition of each other’s judgments on these matters. Whether a partnership must be dissolved before a marriage can be concluded is not a matter covered by EU law. It is for the Member States to provide their own legislation. In the specific situation referred to in the question, the obligation to dissolve the registered partnership may not depend on whether the couple is of same or opposite sex. 1 According to Article 2(2)(b) of Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States, OJ 30.04.2204, L 158, p. 77. 2 Article 3(2)(b) of Directive 2004/38/EC. 3 Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States, OJ 30.04.2204, L 158, p. 77 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32004L0038. 4 Council Regulation (EU) 2019/1111 of 25 June 2019 on jurisdiction, the recognition and enforcement of decisions in matrimonial matters and the matters of parental responsibility, and on international child abduction, OJ, L 178, 02/07/2019, p. 1; Council Regulation (EC) No 4/2009 of 18 December 2008 on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition and enforcement of decisions and cooperation in matters relating to maintenance obligations, OJ L 7, 10/01/2009, p. 1–79; Council Regulation (EU) 2016/1104 of 24 June 2016 implementing enhanced cooperation in the area of jurisdiction, applicable law and the recognition and enforcement of decisions in matters of the property consequences of registered partnerships, OJ L 183, 8.7.2016, p. 30–56; Regulation (EU) No 650/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2012 on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition and enforcement of decisions and acceptance and enforcement of authentic instruments in matters of succession and on the creation of a European Certificate of Succession, OJ L 201, 27.7.2012, p. 107–134.”
  LGBTIQ+
• 2025-03-05 “E-000943/2025 Answer given by Ms Roswall on behalf of the European Commission 1. The Taxonomy Regulation 1 is a classification framework for the purpose of encouraging investments in environmentally sustainable activities and does not introduce mandatory labelling requirements for consumer products. Hence, it is not a suitable instrument to introduce harmonised labelling rules for fibreglass or other products, and the Commission has currently no plans to harmonise labelling rules for fibreglass or other products in line with that Regulation. 2. The Circular Economy Action Plan 2 does not include any specific incentives for fibreglass recovery. Although this activity is not directly addressed, EU waste policy and legislation requires that waste prevention, preparing for re-use, recycling and other recovery are prioritised over disposal 3 . This includes obligations to ensure sound waste management and achieve targets to stimulate recycling and reduce landfilling, e.g. Member State shall reduce landfilling of municipal waste to 10% by 2035 4 . 3. As stated in the Zero Pollution Action Plan 5 , the Commission is working on a review of EU waste laws to adapt them to the clean and circular economy principles, whereby waste prevention is scaled up, high quality recycling leads to clean secondary material cycles and residual waste is minimised 6 . As set out by the Clean Industrial Deal 7 , the Commission intends to adopt a Circular Economy Act in 2026 to increase circularity and recycling capacity in the EU and will work on measures to incentivise diversion from landfill towards re-use and recycling through more effective separate collection. 1 Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2020 on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment, and amending Regulation (EU) 2019/2088, OJ L 198, 22.6.2020, p. 13–43. 2 https://environment.ec.europa.eu/strategy/circular-economy-action-plan_en 3 Article 4, 11 and 13 of, Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on waste and repealing certain Directives, OJ L 312, 22.11.2008, p. 3–30, as amended by Directive (EU) 2018/851 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May, OJ L 150, 14.6.2018, p. 109–140. 4 Article 5 of Council Directive 1999/31/EC of 26 April 1999 on the landfill of waste, OJ L 182, 16.7.1999, p. 1– 19, amended by Directive (EU) 2018/850 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018, OJ L 150, 14.6.2018, p. 100–108. 5 https://environment.ec.europa.eu/strategy/zero-pollution-action-plan_en 6 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Pathway to a Healthy Planet for All EU Action Plan: 'Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil', COM/2021/400 final. 7 https://commission.europa.eu/topics/eu-competitiveness/clean-industrial-deal_en”
  Circular economy
• 2025-02-19 “E-000758/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen on behalf of the European Commission According to the Audiovisual Media Services Directive 1 , Member States should be able to take measures to protect the right to information and to ensure wide access by the public to television coverage of national or non-national events of major importance for society. To this end, each Member State may draw up a list of designated events, national or non-national, which it considers to be of major importance for society. Member States need to notify such lists of major events to the Commission, in accordance with Article 14(2) of the Directive, when they want to obtain mutual recognition from other Member States for the listed events. Informal contacts between the Commission and the Italian authorities on the update of the list of events of major importance for society started in July 2024. The purpose of those contacts is to ensure the completeness of the eventual formal notification by the Italian authorities, taking into account the criteria for including events on the list and the need for an in-depth justification for the listed events. The informal contacts went on until March 2025. The Commission will duly proceed as soon as the formal notification from the Italian authorities is received. Within a period of three months from the notification, the Commission shall verify that the proposed measures are compatible with EU law and communicate them to the other Member States. It shall seek the opinion of the contact committee established pursuant to Article 29 of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive. 1 Directive 2010/13/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 March 2010 on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the provision of audiovisual media services (Audiovisual Media Services Directive) (Codified version) (OJ L 95, 15.4.2010, p. 1, ELI: https://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2010/13/oj). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legalcontent/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02010L0013-20181218”
  Broadcasting of sports events
• 2025-01-17 “E-000193/2025 Answer given by Ms Lahbib on behalf of the European Commission The Commission agrees that forced sterilisation is a grave violation of fundamental rights, such as the right to human dignity, the right to integrity of the person, prohibition of torture or inhuman or degradation treatment and the right to private and family life, as enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU 1 and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) 2 , to which the EU and its Member States are Parties. Moreover, the European Court of Human Rights 3 has determined that State Parties have a positive obligation to ensure legal safeguards to protect women from non-consensual sterilisation. In October 2023, the EU acceded to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) which requires from its Parties to criminalise forced sterilisation. Directive 2024/1385 on combating violence against women and domestic violence recognises certain criminal offences under national law, such as forced sterilisation, as violence against women. The Directive is to be transposed by 14 June 2027 and the Commission will assist Member States in the process through workshops in 2025. The Commission is working on a progress report to assess the implementation of the Strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities 2021-2030, and participated in the constructive dialogue with the UNCRPD Committee on 11-12 March 2025. Those processes will help to identify gaps and barriers that remain for persons with disabilities and, if deemed necessary, update its objectives and actions. 1 Articles 1, 3, 4 and 7 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, OJ C326/02, of 26.10.2012. 2 Articles 15 and 16 of the UNCRPD: https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-rights-persons-disabilities 3 The European Court of Human Rights has ruled on cases of forced sterilisation and found violations of Article 3 and Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. See e.g. V.C. v. Slovakia, no.18968/07, 8th November 2011; N.B. v. Slovakia, no.29518/10, 12th June 2012; I.G. and Others v. Slovakia, no.15966/04, 13th November 2012.”
  Sexuality and reproduction · EU policy on disability inclusion & accessibility
• 2024-10-17 “E-002137/2024 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Mînzatu on behalf of the European Commission Directive 2005/36/EC 1 facilitates free movement of professionals by setting the rules for recognition for access to a regulated profession in another Member State than the one where the qualification was obtained. The Directive only applies to public competitions related to recruitment to regulated professions in Italy. Therefore, it is not possible to assess based on the information given by the Honourable Member if the quoted practice is in breach of the Directive. The EU is advocating for automatic recognition of qualifications for learning purposes. This commitment is evidenced by the 2018 Council Recommendation 2 , which promotes automatic mutual recognition of higher education and training qualifications, as well as the Commission's proposal for a Council Recommendation 3 on a European Quality Assurance and Recognition System. These initiatives reflect the EU's dedication to enhance learning mobility. The Lisbon Recognition Convention 4 , which is not part of EU legislation, primarily facilitates the recognition of qualifications for further education rather than for labour market access. The organisation and classification of staff within the national public administration is the exclusive competence of Member States. In doing so, they must respect Article 45 of the Treaty 5 and Article 7(1) of Regulation 492/2011 6 which prohibit discrimination based on nationality between workers of the Member States as regards employment, remuneration and other conditions of work and employment. Public administrations must take into account comparable qualifications, skills and training acquired in other Member States in the process of recruitment and for determining working conditions, in the same way as those acquired in the host Member State 7 . 1 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2005/36/oj 2 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32018H1210(01) 3 https://education.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/202403/Proposal%20for%20a%20Council%20Recommendation%20on%20a%20European%20Quality%20Assuranc e%20and%20Recognition%20System%20in%20Higher%20Education.pdf 4 https://www.coe.int/en/web/higher-education-and-research/lisbon-recognition-convention 5 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX%3A12008E045%3Aen%3AHTML 6 Regulation (EU) No 492/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2011 on freedom of movement for workers within the Union. 7 Commission Staff Working Document – Free movement of workers in the public sector, SEC(2010) 1609.”
  Governance of academic priorities within the EU
• 2024-09-16 “E-001724/2024 Answer given by Ms Lahbib on behalf of the European Commission 1. Equality and non-discrimination are core values and fundamental rights in the EU, enshrined in its Treaties and in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (the Charter). However, the Charter’s provisions are addressed to Member States only when they are implementing EU law 1 . Otherwise, it is the responsibility of Member States and their judicial authorities to ensure that fundamental rights are effectively respected and protected, in accordance with their national legislation and international human rights obligations. 2. Under the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, nonbinary, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) Equality Strategy for 2020-2025 2 , the Commission supports fostering exchanges of best practices between Member States and experts to ensure safe and inclusive education for all children, young people and adults. The Working Group on Equality and Values in Education and Training in 2023 published the Issue paper on tackling different forms of discrimination in and through education and training 3 , presenting the main challenges, points for attention and promising practices. The 2024 Guidelines on wellbeing and mental health at school 4 point to the creation of safe schools to prevent and address various forms of violence at school, including gender-based violence and (cyber-) bullying. 3. As announced in the Commission President’s Political Guidelines 2024 – 2029, the Commission will propose a new Gender Equality Strategy and an updated strategy on LGBTIQ equality for post-2025. As guardian of the Treaties, the Commission monitors the correct application of EU law and, in case of breaches of EU laws, will not hesitate to take appropriate actions. 1 Article 51(1) of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU. 2 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52020DC0698 3 Issue paper on tackling different forms of discrimination in and through education and training (https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/8d28535a-2cef-11ee-95a2-01aa75ed71a1) including discrimination relating to sexual orientation, gender identity or expression and sex characteristics. 4 Guidelines prepared by the by the European Commission's expert group on enhancing supportive learning environments for vulnerable learners and for promoting wellbeing and mental health at school (https://education.ec.europa.eu/news/supporting-wellbeing-at-school-new-guidelines-for-policymakers-andeducators). They refer to the fact that pupils who have been exposed to violence, including LGBTIQ pupils, have an increased risk of mental health issues, underachievement and early school leaving.”
  LGBTIQ+ · Role of education (social change vs. tradition)
• 2024-07-29 “E-001446/2024 Answer given by Ms Dalli on behalf of the European Commission The Commission tackles discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, non-binary, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) people and strives to ensure their safety, as set out in the LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025 1 . In 2021, the Commission proposed 2 to include hate speech and hate crime in the list of EU crimes under Article 83 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) 3 . In the absence of a unanimous Council decision according to the third subparagraph of Article 83(1) TFEU, the Commission is currently not able to take further steps in that regard. Also, the Commission’s high-level group on combating hate speech and hate crime discusses and facilitates exchanges of best practices and collection of data, including on LGBTIQ, and adopted in 2022 guiding principles on cooperation between law enforcement authorities and civil society organisations. Under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme 4 , the Commission provides funding to projects addressing hate crime and hate speech and enhancing LGBTIQ equality. While respecting Member States’ responsibilities on education systems and teaching content, the Commission supports learning and exchange of good practices to ensure safe and inclusive education for young people. In 2023, the working group on equality and values in education and training published a paper on tackling different forms of discrimination 5 . The Commission has recently published guidelines 6 on enhancing supportive learning environments for vulnerable learners, addressing violence, including gender-based and (cyber) bullying. On 25 September 2024, the Commission published a report on the implementation of the LGBTIQ strategy 7 . It is expected to update the strategy for post-2025, as announced in the political guidelines 8 for the next Commission. 1 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52020DC0698 2 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52021DC0777 3 The current legislation only covers racist or xenophobic hate crime: Council Framework Decision 2008/913/JHA of 28 November 2008 on combating racism and xenophobia of 2008. OJ L 328, 6.12.2008, p. 55– 58. 4 https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/programmes/cerv 5 https://education.ec.europa.eu/lv/news/new-issue-paper-tackling-prejudice-and-discrimination-in-and-througheducation-and-training 6 https://education.ec.europa.eu/news/supporting-wellbeing-at-school-new-guidelines-for-policymakers-andeducators 7 https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/combattingdiscrimination/lesbian-gay-bi-trans-and-intersex-equality/lgbtiq-equality-strategy-2020-2025_en 8 https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/e6cd4328-673c-4e7a-8683f63ffb2cf648_en?filename=Political%20Guidelines%202024-2029_EN.pdf”
  LGBTIQ+
• “Thank you and thank you for this study, which has real political weight. Now we establish the remit of the coat and we talk about the visibility. And at the moment, only 3% of citizens benefit from this. So we're working under the European flag. We're looking at citizenship, cohesion and skills. And every year we keep on asking for we keep being asked to make better use of the resources that are available. We're not dealing with a technical problem. We're dealing with a political problem. Therefore, I think that as the committee, we should have three clear priorities the ambition in relation to the balance sheet. We've got Erasmus+ and Agora EU. Which we're actually going to get less than we might think. There are excellent projects which are not being funded. Therefore, we have to question whether the resources being proposed are enough to deal with the difference between supply and demand. And then there's the question of accessibility. Despite all the efforts to simplify, the administrative burden remains high. We need to have genuinely inclusive programmes, which means that it needs to be accessible to small organisations and that means local organisations, new beneficiaries, avoiding a concentration of resources in the hands of large professional organisations. And thirdly, and lastly, the protection of what is awarded in terms of money. So there needs to be some kind of predictability, but we shouldn't just have one large bucket, whether it's education, media and sport. There's a certain sense of rivalry between these different domains. So we need to be very clear and transparent in our allocation of funding. Thank you.”
  EU volunteering programs
• “Thank you, Madam Chair. We need immediate operational action on a number of different fronts. First of all, a specific ban for AI instruments that are designed to notify in a non-consensual way and on pornographic deepfakes. It's not just about the inappropriate use of it. There are instruments that are designed to violate violate fundamental rights. Secondly, we need to be proactive about making sure that big platforms take shoulder their responsibility. We need preventive screening of material and immediate removal. You know, viral deepfakes really cause harm. And every second that it's online that is amplified. Thirdly, we need to recognize that digital violence is also a form of censorship. If women are involved, it discourages them from taking part in public life. There's real harm, and we need legal certainty and guarantee psychological support. Fourthly, we also need education in schools, but we also need research and funding for research so that technology cannot be a screen to hide behind with impunity.”
  Digital platforms liability for harmful and illegal content
• “Thank you, Madam Chair. Every budget choice is a political choice that brings about different impacts on men and women. It cuts. Or taking away money from culture, welfare care services means that that cost is passed on to women. And that means that inequality will continue to rise, which is already structural. Now the new MFF needs to make sure that there is true gender budgeting which is binding, and that there is gender mainstreaming, so that we can have measurable indicators and ex-ante and ex-post controls. It's not just enough to mention gender equality. It also needs to be funded. And we need to make sure that women employment and women poverty can be enhanced and tackled. And we need to make sure that there are stable resources to avoid gender violence. And we need to make sure that women can be economically independent if the EU wants to be credible when it comes to its rights. The 2028 2034 MFF needs to show as much in its budgeting, and our committee really should keep close tabs on the fact that this is done under the next MFF, the ESM.”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion
• “Spettacoli sportivi per IL popolo lo chiamavano. Panem et circenses in anni e cambiato. L'union européenne continua a tratar el arte e la cultura come strumenti depression come e leva per aumentare l'opinion publique e la politica. Mi mi, mi che la guerra e una cosa giusta in una democrazia pienamente. L'arte lo sport e la cultura sono Libya e devono poter uniter not a divider devono aprire punti e non purtroppo invece l'unione Europea. Oggi che sono un campione atlética solo perché una parte sbagliata o perché la pensa diversamente da noi togliere Europea la biennale di Venezia per una veneziana come e per la presenza del padiglione e Russo e una politica e una cura e dimostra che l'Union Europea non crede, ma piuttosto continua escalation di propaganda e di guerra per una domanda finale In.”
  EU and national cultural identities
• “Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you very much for your presentation. The Serve program is a key tool to provide support to civil society. And in order to defend our common values, the rule of law, democracy, equality, and so on. But the interim report is stating very clearly that despite the fact that we've made progress, we still have a long road ahead. There are structural problems that we've got to tackle. We don't have a lot of resources allocated to this equality, equal rights and fight, and the fight against gender violence and violence against minors are key issues, and we have to make sure that they are taken seriously and get enough funding. Often funding goes to big organizations, while the local realities, grassroots organizations and marginalized voices are sidelined. And that is why this serve needs to change pace. There needs to be streamlining less ranking, less bureaucracy because democracy is living and breathing in small areas and not just big capitals. I would like gender to be mainstreamed, but we've got to go even beyond there. Beyond that, we've got to bolster citizen participation by harnessing innovative digital tools. We need to have a dedicated budget lines for those who fight against climate denial, backsliding and those who deny science as well, because these are the main tools that are being used to attack our democracy. A strong and inclusive serve is not just a funding program. It is something that will have critical, um, citizen participation, civic participation, and that will stop the cultural backsliding, which unfortunately is gaining ground.”
  EU engagement with civil society
• “Thank you very much indeed. First of all, Commissioner, thank you very much indeed. For me too, for your being present here and for your presentation. A few days ago, Sigfrido Ranucci was a car was blown up outside his house, right outside his house. This is an absolutely terrible attack, and it shows us how important the freedom of the press is and how we need to protect investigative journalists, because they are still far too vulnerable in Europe. All too often, journalists are subject to intimidation, to this sort of attack and to disinformation and fake news. We in Rome are going to organise a big demonstration to defend press freedom and to support Sigfrido Ranucci. And we would like to think that the whole of Europe will stand behind us in this, because it is really important. I'd like to know if the Commission is intending to look at protection and rapid intervention in the case where there is a threat to a journalist, and how are they going to ensure that there's greater transparency in media governance? This is really important because there are so many threats to pluralism and accurate information that we really need to address this urgently. Thank you. For HSN. Thank you. My apologies for arriving late, but I was in the plenary and I had to speak since I had speaking time there and it was on a similar topic.”
  EU support for traditional (non-digital) media
• “See? So seeing that there is a growing spread of these doctored videos and sexual content, which is used to humiliate and blackmail women. I think it could also be necessary to include the regulatory framework on artificial intelligence, and I would even go as far as to have a legal obligation for those who publish these fake videos, even if it's used for satire or parody, that they need to indicate that this is false content. And I think that this would perhaps be an immediate solution. Of course, we also need to strengthen legislation, but in a tailor made way. But we need to find a way to stop this use of AI. Thank you.”
  Transparency and oversight of AI-generated content
• “Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I think that for too many people doing sport is putting on certain clothes and just going for a run. But that's not what sports are about. Sports is a universal language that builds bridges and not walls. Sports have values. And for those of us who have engaged seriously in sport, where it's been our life, know about this. It's about inclusion. It's about integration and respect. But not only it's not only about respecting your own limits, but it's about respecting, uh, rivals if you like it. Those that you're playing against aren't people that you have to trample. If the other person, your rival, is the person who gives you value to who helps you grow. And that is why I don't think that sport should ever be used as a political tool. It has to be used to promote peace, inclusion, and this is how we grew up. That's what sport is about. There are 57 conflicts or wars in the world. So what are we going to do? Are we going to decide which wars are fair and which wars are not? I think participation is key, but if we ban some, then look, 57 conflicts. There's a genocide that is going on. Then we also have the United States. The United States, uh, abducted a president, a dictator.”
  Broadcasting of sports events
• “Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I think that for too many people doing sport is putting on certain clothes and just going for a run. But that's not what sports are about. Sports is a universal language that builds bridges and not walls. Sports have values. And for those of us who have engaged seriously in sport, where it's been our life, know about this. It's about inclusion. It's about integration and respect. But not only it's not only about respecting your own limits, but it's about respecting, uh, rivals if you like it. Those that you're playing against aren't people that you have to trample. If the other person, your rival, is the person who gives you value to who helps you grow. And that is why I don't think that sport should ever be used as a political tool. It has to be used to promote peace, inclusion, and this is how we grew up. That's what sport is about. There are 57 conflicts or wars in the world. So what are we going to do? Are we going to decide which wars are fair and which wars are not? I think participation is key, but if we ban some, then look, 57 conflicts. There's a genocide that is going on. Then we also have the United States. The United States, uh, abducted a president, a dictator.”
  Broadcasting of sports events
• “Call him what you want, but the president of a sovereign country. So when I hear this, and when I see sport being used as a weapon, I feel, uh, extremely upset. This is distressing because sport is a tool for peace. Because there aren't other tools. Diplomacy isn't is dead. So. The world of sport isn't immune violence or abuse, especially against young people and women. So it's not immune to that. And I think that the EU should assess the the introduction of a compulsory certification system for those who train with or train young people in sport. We do have a good practice in Australia called working with children. Check. This is a checking system that checks the background of those who work with young people through in depth checks of their criminal record and any other relevant information. I had other questions to put to you, but I got a bit carried away in the first part of my comments. It took me a little bit longer, but I'm wondering whether we could have a system in the EU that protects young people from adults. Uh, adults who enter the world of sport for, uh, other reasons rather than sport. So kind of for unlawful reasons. Thank you.”
  Broadcasting of sports events
• “Promoting and protecting cultural diversity and creativity are a vital importance for the EU. We've said this before and this is even more relevant post Covid and taking into account the development of AI, AI and Covid have made it very difficult for professionals in the sector. So that is why we have to make sure that we have fair pay, fair remuneration to protect them from this ever changing world. Now, what measures will the Commission adopt to make sure that the evaluation of the Creative Europe projects will ensure fair distribution of funds. Thank you.”
  EU and national cultural identities
• “We are against discrimination. And discrimination is always because of men. When it comes to pays, it's always in their favor. Thank you very much for this presentation. These guidelines are a very useful instrument to guarantee the better implementation of the Pay Transparency Directive, because we know that it's not only transparency that's a problem, but how the value of work is assessed. There are areas that lots of women work working and those areas are always undervalued. I fear that if the guidelines remain too general or too flexible, then we'll have 27 different approaches to the issue and then that won't solve the problem. That's why I have a question. How does the Commission intend to guarantee that these guidelines are going to be applied in a comparable way in the member states? How can we ensure that we avoid. There are different interpretations that then evaluate women's work in it and undervalue it. I've listened to the what's been said by both speakers, and it's important that with the guidelines that we have, we can evaluate work within a company, within a sector, within a group of workers. And we take that as our focus. There's something else that we need, and I think this was missing somewhat. We also need the proper evaluation of work in those areas that are dominated by women, such as care work. And that's why we need a a way of looking that looks across sectors. So how will how are different different things going to be compared. We paying paying two identical and identical jobs the same way. So apples with apples is one thing, but comparing apples with pears is quite a different one. So if we're comparing work in the childcare sector with work in a different sector, then that might be somewhat more difficult. So that means we have to have this in sector system, but also a system that works across different sectors. So I'd be interested to hear from both from both speakers how they would address that. Thank you.”
  Gender pay transparency
• “Thank you. Now, the new strategy is a very important point. And I think that it's very positive what you've done. But I don't think that all aspects have been dealt with with the same, um, with the same strength. And I think that what will happen is that we'll be very ambitious on paper, but in reality, it will be hard to actually translate this into facts, and I notice that the Commission is very much in favor of my voice, my choice. But there are funds which can already be which can already be used to help a woman to access services in another member state, but without clear mechanisms and without dedicated resources. There is a risk that this is just a theoretical right, and it's only accessible to those people who have got the access to the information and the means to be able to do this. So how does the Commission intend to go from the recommendations to real and concise measures, even when it comes to resources, to guarantee that women's rights are truly equal across the whole of the European Union? Thank you.”
  Sexuality and reproduction
• “Well. Thank you. I mean, in the field we see that these projects, which actually work well, uh, depend upon infrastructure, but they also really depend upon good governance. They work best when communities are involved in the management, too. When women have a role in the decision making process and when the local institutions have proper technical and financial resources. This is particularly true in rural and fragile settings, as was referred to before, where water really is a question of fairness and equity. And also in the fight against climate change. Now, if the EU wants to to contribute to achieving the goal number six, well, you've got to make sure that you invest in the systems, in people and also looking at the basic systems and shore up the local authorities. So in this context, what are the most important lessons we've learned from managing water that the EU can apply in future programmes? And what are the types of minimum conditions are required when it comes to participation of women and local authorities, and ensuring this continuity of service for different projects that we might be investing in.”
  EU development policy (gender conditionality)
• “Thank you very much, Madam Chair. So we heard that this new program is going to replace the current programs that we talked about at the first in the first part of this morning's meeting, the goal is to simplify the financial framework and to make sure there are synergies between culture, media rights and democratic participation. There are different cultural players and civil society organizations, however, that have said they're worried. They are worried that merging all of this will actually lead to more bureaucracy, and that it will, that everyone will have to jump through more bureaucratic hoops, and that it will be very difficult when it comes to the needs of the different sectors. Now, these problems could have a negative impact, especially on small local associations and organizations that are actually the backbone of civic and cultural participation in the EU. So I'd like to know how what are you going to do to make sure that the merging of Creative Europe and curve into Agora EU will not lead to more of an administrative burden on those involved? And what are you going to do to increase more accessibility to public procurement. Excuse me? Yes, to public procurement. So do the competitions in order to make sure that everyone can be fully involved and can participate in these programs.”
  EU and national cultural identities
• “Thank you. This report is really dealing with one of the greatest injustices faced by one of the largest communities in the European Union. That is the underpaying of women in predominantly feminine sessions, education, culture, care, which are essential areas of our society but are continued to be lower paid because they are associated with skills which are supposedly natural to women, which is a huge cultural distortion in our mentality, which means we need to reevaluate these jobs from the social and economic point of view. Many women who take care of their children, or elderly and delicate people and fragile people are often not recognized and receive no payment. This individual type of work is the basis of our social system, but it is constantly annoying. Ignored by the economic system. Repeating. I'd like to repeat that if we can recognize that this activity gives great value and contributes to welfare. It's not just a question of wages, but social justice and dignity. Thank you.”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion
• “Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Thank you, Madam Commissioner. Implementing the d a d a is a key tool against cyberbullying. We can no longer consider this to be secondary digital violence. Uh, affects young people and teenagers in a systemic way. And the impact is very deep on many fronts. Two questions. Do we see cyberbullying as a digital security issue only? We think it should be a cultural and education priority as well. So I'd like to know how the European Commission is planning to integrate the action plan with structural measures focusing on digital literacy in schools, teacher training and family involvement. Prevention should be part and parcel of school curricula and curricula in general in Europe. The second issue is linked to the digital transition, and it's all about what's happening against the backdrop of AI. We've met stakeholders such as creators, editors, publishers, and so on, and the concerns are crystal clear. Other works are being used to train AI models without any transparency. And of course, this is driving wages down. Among other issues. And then the issue of copyright and so on. European creativity is our heritage. And if we don't take measures, it means that innovation will just be about the concentration of value in a handful of platforms. So what specific actions is the Commission planning to take in order to guarantee transparency in the use of protected content? The opt out right, an effective opt out right, and the traceability of works used in order to train AI models. And what are you going to do to ensure that creators get fair remuneration? Fair pay? I think we can only move forward if we protect those who create cultural value.”
  Transparency and oversight of AI-generated content
• “Sport was born as a popular phenomenon, and it's become highly professional. And for my Generation, we really followed sport. It was the real fount of our aspirations. It was the success of our dreams. But it's become very, very costly, very expensive. And that for many of us citizens, particularly the youngest among them, and this has had a real impact, particularly on the younger generations, who have far fewer occasions to be able to go and watch and listen to the matches which are played at the championships, etc.. And I think that not this, of course, does not justify online piracy. Nevertheless, we do have to realise that although this is something we cannot accept and we need legislation, this is something that we need to tackle at European level because otherwise we are seeing a technological failure. Online piracy is at is organized by criminals and we need to tackle this crime. It's something which goes beyond sport itself. So only I think a European approach can bring us back to legality and no political interference. What we want to have is a sport which is for young people, for spectators. This is something which of course, is fundamental within our culture.”
  Broadcasting of sports events
• “Call him what you want, but the president of a sovereign country. So when I hear this, and when I see sport being used as a weapon, I feel, uh, extremely upset. This is distressing because sport is a tool for peace. Because there aren't other tools. Diplomacy isn't is dead. So. The world of sport isn't immune violence or abuse, especially against young people and women. So it's not immune to that. And I think that the EU should assess the the introduction of a compulsory certification system for those who train with or train young people in sport. We do have a good practice in Australia called working with children. Check. This is a checking system that checks the background of those who work with young people through in depth checks of their criminal record and any other relevant information. I had other questions to put to you, but I got a bit carried away in the first part of my comments. It took me a little bit longer, but I'm wondering whether we could have a system in the EU that protects young people from adults. Uh, adults who enter the world of sport for, uh, other reasons rather than sport. So kind of for unlawful reasons. Thank you.”
  Broadcasting of sports events
• “Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Thank you, Madam Commissioner. Implementing the d a d a is a key tool against cyberbullying. We can no longer consider this to be secondary digital violence. Uh, affects young people and teenagers in a systemic way. And the impact is very deep on many fronts. Two questions. Do we see cyberbullying as a digital security issue only? We think it should be a cultural and education priority as well. So I'd like to know how the European Commission is planning to integrate the action plan with structural measures focusing on digital literacy in schools, teacher training and family involvement. Prevention should be part and parcel of school curricula and curricula in general in Europe. The second issue is linked to the digital transition, and it's all about what's happening against the backdrop of AI. We've met stakeholders such as creators, editors, publishers, and so on, and the concerns are crystal clear. Other works are being used to train AI models without any transparency. And of course, this is driving wages down. Among other issues. And then the issue of copyright and so on. European creativity is our heritage. And if we don't take measures, it means that innovation will just be about the concentration of value in a handful of platforms. So what specific actions is the Commission planning to take in order to guarantee transparency in the use of protected content? The opt out right, an effective opt out right, and the traceability of works used in order to train AI models. And what are you going to do to ensure that creators get fair remuneration? Fair pay? I think we can only move forward if we protect those who create cultural value.”
  Safety features & content control for child protection online · Artificial Intelligence
• “Thank you chairman. The youth guarantee is without a doubt an important instrument to promote youth insertion in the labour market. It provides specific opportunities for first contact with the working world. But we shouldn't avoid the mentioning the critical nature of this. The program doesn't work homogeneously throughout the European Union. There are certain areas. Where precarious, precarious and underpaid work continues. And this is unacceptable. A tool designed to fight youth unemployment cannot be transformed into a mechanism which de facto increases it. A significant section of youth is about 60% remain unemployed even after having checked in on the program. This is a serious threat to its efficiency. So we feel it's necessary to reinforce the youth guarantee by increasing available resources by introducing stricter criteria which would guarantee quality, accessibility and equality of treatment in all member states. It's also important to promote sharing of good practices between those countries where the program has given positive results. To build a more coherent and effective approach throughout the union. Thank you.”
  Youth employment & training