Christel SCHALDEMOSE

Policy topics Christel SCHALDEMOSE is active on

What Christel SCHALDEMOSE has said (80)

• 2026-07-09 “41:42 - 10:42:20): Session. So, the next item on the agenda is the report by mister Odeur, feasibility of the 28th tax regime, and its potential to support EU competitiveness. I would like to remind speakers that given the test measures currently in place and fixed, end time of debate, a strict observance to speaking time will be required for all of you. Thank you very much for your understanding. And, I will immediately give the floor to the rapporteur, please, mister Odeur.”
  Overall simplification of regulation in the EU
• 2026-07-09 “(10:50:11 - 10:50:21): Thank you very much. Thank thank you. And, we will now take the round of speakers on behalf of the political groups beginning with mister Niedermeyer for 2 minutes on behalf of EPP.”
  EU political integration
• 2026-07-07 “(10:08:39 - 10:09:33): Thank you very much. Europe's car industry is at a crossroads. We could either keep protecting the past or we could invest in the future. For me, that choice is simple. We need to simplify the rules for the European car industry, but without at the same time weakening our green ambitions. If European car producers keep clinging to the past and the technology of the past, we will lose further market share not only to China and to US, but also we will also lose jobs in Europe. That's why it's more it's so important that we get more electric cars on the European roads and that we build far more European electric cars. And yes, an electric car might not be the best or the cheapest alternative right now, but that will remain the status quo if we are afraid to, invest. We need to create strong jobs, good jobs, and”
  Road transport environmental policy
• 2026-06-25 “Oh, thank you very much. First and foremost, thank you very much for the presentation. There is no doubt that it's a good idea that we do more in this area. So just to not be misunderstood, I am very supportive of the fact that we are doing more. But, but I when I look at it, I can't help thinking that we already now need to have an Chips act. Uh, 2.0. So already in two years, do we then need a chips act? 3.04.0. I mean it's very, very fast after the first one. So my question is can we be sure that you know what you're doing now so that we don't have to adjust again in a short period of time or set in another way? Is it is it really needed that the European Commission is doing a lot of things in this area? Shouldn't we leave it to the market and do more for, for the for the funding instead? So that was more a general question then some a couple of concrete questions. I do think that the charter, the assurance level is extremely important. We need really to be aware of safety and make sure that important data stays in Europe. And I really like that level. I think it's it's good. And then I wondered what what do you have any concrete targets, uh, for, uh, the European AI compute capacity. Uh, let's say this is adopted very soon, hopefully. And then we start delivering what are the targets? What do we expect? I mean, we have the Danish supercomputer, which is very good, but I'm told by experts that already in the end of this year, uh, it is occupied completely. And we need more capacity. So do you have any targets, uh, for this? I think that could be interesting, but thank you very much. And, uh, it was not to be too critical. I'm just curious about I mean, is it really the commission who is the best one to, to know how we can develop this market. Thank you.”
  Artificial Intelligence
• 2026-06-25 “Thank you very much. I just wanted to support Kim in what she said, that we also need to look into the member states practices here, and we need to be very much aware that, uh, that we, when we try to solve the problems with the terrible ten are not creating new problems because we make new regulations and new rules that needs to be implemented. And, and therefore, I also just wanted to to support that. And I'm interested in knowing more about what you do and what the conversation is with the member states in order to make sure that they are doing their job also to, to reduce the problems we have. Thank you.”
  EU Supervision of the Rule of Law
• 2026-06-24 “Yes. I'm here. And we had yesterday the DSA working Group and we had a very good meeting. We received an extensive update from Deputy Director General Renata Nicolai. She's here today. Thank you very much for yesterday. She gave us a very a deep knowledge about the DSA enforcement in terms of both the general DSA enforcement, the interaction between the DSA and AI act. And we talked also about the EU, US cooperation on digital policies. Those topics were chosen by the members of the working group. And I think it's important that that we all of us give a, you know, an indication of what we find important to, to, to talk about in the working group on the. Enforcement. We discussed the fines imposed on X and Temu, and we also talked about the investigations on other platforms. And since it was in camera, I cannot tell you about the details, but it's important for us to have this knowledge about what is going on. And we can ask about different aspects of the investigations, and we are getting good answers. But we were discussing also the Romanian elections, ongoing infringements cases and the potential implications of the recent court of court case law on safe harbour liability exemptions. And then we were also discussing, of course, the focus on protection of online, of protecting minors online. We are having a hearing right now and very soon on this here in the committee today, and also the link between the work of the DSA and and the ongoing panel of experts.”
  Disinformation & online freedoms · Digital platforms liability for harmful and illegal content
• 2026-06-24 “So why should we trust you now? Is it just because the situation is that you're under political pressure? Honestly, it's I mean, I'm really curious about this. And secondly, or thirdly, and the last question is for Europe, you're against an age limit. And you say that we need to use the DSA, and we need to make sure that the platforms are responsible. The last I agree, they need to to be aware. And they need to make sure that dangerous content is not a reach a kids, they should not be there. And secondly, young people. But how can you say that we should not have an age limit when we see how the platforms are acting? I mean, I completely agree that we also need to make our young people aware and work and learn about how to to be online, but the way you're doing it is, in fact, instead of helping the kids, I think you're doing the opposite with the, with the suggestions you have. So I think that you need to change your point of view on this. You're not protecting the kids. Thanks.”
  Age restrictions on children's access to social media
• 2026-06-24 “If we continue in the same spirit, I'm optimistic and we will reach a good compromise well in time for the next committee session. In addition, I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to the rapporteurs in budget and econ committees for good cooperation and valuable contributions to the work. Turning to the content, I would just say a few words on where we stand today and the key elements of the compromise amendments so far. As you know, the SMP programme consolidates four existing programmes for the single market customs, taxation cooperation and the fight against fraud under one consolidated framework. With this, the Commission proposal introduces extensive flexibility and simplification to the current structure. Generally, we welcome a more integrated programme. To some extent, a more flexible approach can improve EU speed and resilience. However, the new structure also creates some challenges and risks in terms of predictability and accountability, hence striking the right balance between a fair degree of flexibility and an adequate governance structure has been one of our key priorities To improve this balance and the governance of the programme, we have put a significant emphasis on clarifying the objectives. We also propose introducing a budget breakdown with a clear and transparent link between priorities and budget allocations. We propose distributing the funds in this breakdown, including the global increase in the Parliament position in proportion to the Commission financial estimates, and we will suggest to bind this allocation by chapters in the budget nomenclature, which will safeguard the core element of the programme.”
  EU Single Market harmonisation
• 2026-06-24 “So that was also very important. We also discussed the DFA. So on artificial intelligence, the Commission confirmed that it is currently assessing how large AI systems interact with DSA framework. This is a key question and we will get back to this. It's still not completely decided, but there's no doubt that we will have to follow up on on these aspects. And finally, on the transatlantic cooperation, the Commission emphasized the dialogue with the United States remain important. Um, it is, but it's also important for us and also for the Commission to, to make sure that the laws we're making in the EU are complied when you're doing business in the EU. But I think we had a very good discussion on, on this as well. So my overall impression is that the enforcement of the DSA is progressing quite well. However, there are issues we need to tackle. And one of the things I would like to address here today is the question of resources. There are still areas where the commission have difficulties to to go to dig into parts of the DSA because it is timely. It costs a lot of time, manpower, and I think that we will have to look into that and see if there is any way where we can push for more resources.”
  Artificial Intelligence · Digital platforms liability for harmful and illegal content
• 2026-06-24 “Thank you very much, chair, and good afternoon, colleagues. Firstly, as you said, I will stand in today for the rapporteur, Adnan Dirani, who unfortunately is unable to join us here today because he is on a mission to Sweden. He sends his sincere apologies for his absence and I will read the statement on his behalf. So today we will exchange views on the compromise compromise amendments for the Single Market and Customs programme.”
  EU Single Market harmonisation
• 2026-06-24 “One of the ideas behind making the commission responsible for enforcement of the DSA for the very large online platforms was exactly to have, you know, to, to, to coordinate, but also to pull the resources. And yet the resources are still not enough. So this is a topic I think we have to address at a certain time, dear chair. I don't know how we have to do it, but also when we add the general DSA enforcement with the fact that we might get some of the chatbots also being a designated as a very large online or. Then I think we have to look into this because it must not be a question of lack of resources. That is the question of whether we are able to enforce the law or not. But I would like to thank the colleagues for participating, and I have said it before, chair, but I do believe that these working groups are a very important tool for the Parliament in order to follow a legislation and also be helpful for the Commission, but also do our job as watchdogs and make sure that put pressure on the fact that we need a strong and good enforcement. Thank you.”
  Digital platforms liability for harmful and illegal content
• 2026-06-24 “As you know, this is the only Imco programme in the MFF package. So it is a key file for our committee and a concrete vehicle to strengthen the single market in a crucial time. As we enter a new financial cycle, the single market is under pressure and facing multiple challenges, from intensified global competition and a massive influx of counterfeited and illegal goods to a rise in fraud and illegal activities. In addition, we also have long standing challenges, such as unjustified internal barriers and fragmentation that needs serious attention. The single market and customs program will not solve all of these issues, but it will be a crucial tool to deliver on this. I think all of us across political groups agree, and this shared conviction has been a good starting point for our work. Then, of course, we have had some different views on how to get there, but managing different views and measuring it together is a is the reality of the political craft, and it makes for a better outcome in the end. And with that, I would like to thank all the shadows for their strong engagement and constructive contributions to this file. We still have a little bit to go before we reach the final agreement, but we have made very good progress in these past weeks.”
  EU Single Market harmonisation
• 2026-06-24 “Thank you very much. First and foremost, thanks to the panel. It was very interesting to listen to. I have three quick remarks or questions. First to a Deputy Director General, Renato Nicolai already today with the article 28 and the guidelines. We have clear rules on the fact that if the platforms. They don't comply with their own rules on age limits. Uh, it's a violation of the DSA. So and I know that you're looking into some of it, but we know from Danish surveys that 50% of ten year old kids have a social media account, and 94% of the kids in Denmark are on social media before the age of 13. It's not just meta, it's the all of them. So you need to do more. Why can't you already use the rules we have in place today? Then to to meta a question. You know, it sounds fantastic everything you're doing here, but why should we trust you? You're very late on this. You knew it for ages. I mean, when we made the DSA, we had Frances Haugen here. She told us about the horrible way you treated young women. Have the knowledge about the harms your algorithms did and you did nothing to prevent it.”
  Age restrictions on children's access to social media
• 2026-06-24 “To further ensure a proper level of democratic governance, we also introduce delegated acts for the work programmes. Furthermore, for many of us in this committee, a successful transition to the new customs union in the years ahead is a key priority. This programme will play a key role in the effort and hence we have focused on ensuring that Smcp adequately supports this transition and its key components, such as the new EU Custom Data Hub. In addition, we are strengthening the program in several key areas, including consumers, market surveillance, taxation and the protection of the union's financial interest. Lastly, as a protection of our union's digital and data security is equally important. We have also made substantial efforts to strengthen these elements in the legal act. So, to sum up, the Smcp is a key tool to strengthen the internal market and the integrity of our union in the years ahead. Getting it right is critical. Again, I thank you. Thankful for the strong engagement, good cooperation, and constructive input from all the colleagues. I look forward to continue our work together and delivering a strong compromise agreement that really makes a difference on the ground. Thank you very much. Yeah.”
  EU Single Market harmonisation
• 2026-06-17 “So that was the 1st round of speakers. I will already now announce that we closed possibility to ask for Catch GI now. I have 22 requests and we have to finish at 11:15. So 50. So you can see that I cannot give everyone. So it's closed now, and I ask you really to try to stick to speaking time even though I think many of you have been become really good at it. Thank you very much. And we start on the next round, and I will give the floor to mister Arias Eceviria for 1 and a half minute, please.”
  EU public communication strategy
• 2026-06-17 “42:25 – 10:42:55): So, dear colleagues, we have now reached catch the eye. I have more than 20, requests, and I only have 10 minutes to distribute. So, as you can understand, not everyone will be able to get, speaking time. So what I do is that those who have been present here during the whole debate will be, put before the others. So that's, my ruling, so to speak. And I will therefore begin with, miss Benczak, Nicolina Benczak, Seat 269, please.”
  EU public communication strategy
• 2026-06-17 “So please stick to your speaking time. The next speaker is, miss, Emhild Bostorf for 1 minute, please. **Irmhild BOẞDORF: In German, schools, we see the curriculum. We see pride, marches. We see what is broadcast on public television. That is what our children experience every day. That's no problem. But if young people under the age of 16 want access to social media, the EU is worried about safety and children's mental health. Absolutely. We need checks and controls. No, EU. If you want to protect our children, put an end to mass migration and protests or marches where people are humiliated or foolish programs or broadcast on television. Yes. We need to protect our children against stumbling down on social media. They also need to be able to inform themselves and find out the truth, become informed citizens, and we'll never agree to this. Thank you.”
  Role of education (social change vs. tradition)
• 2026-06-16 “Thank you. Commissioner. Digital sovereignty is about your economy, but it's also about protecting our democracy. We have seen how the the algorithms of the tech giants, what it means for elections in Europe and US and China. Tech giants are playing a bigger role in the European economy. So we should dare to have huge investments in the digital infrastructure so that we can become part of the digital race and become more independent. Europe should never be in a situation where our democratic debate and digital infrastructure can be cut off by actors in China, in Russia or in the US. In Denmark, we have an important step with our Gefion supercomputer and. Computing power is. There is an important example of how we can invest in our digital sovereignty and be independent of others, and that's how we can protect our democracy. Thank you.”
  EU digital & tech sovereignty
• 2026-06-16 “Thank you, commissioner. Digital sovereignty is about our economy, but it's also about protecting our democracy. We have seen how the the algorithms of the tech giants, what it means for elections, in Europe and US and China tech giants are playing a a bigger role in the European economy. So we should dare to, have huge investments in the digital infrastructure so that we can become part of the digital race and become more independent. Europe should never be in a situation where our democratic debate and digital infrastructure can be cut off by actors in China, in Russia, or in The US. In Denmark, we've have an important step with our, Gefion supercomputer. Computing power is there is an important example of how we can invest in our digital sovereignty and be independent of others, and that's how we can protect our democracy. Thank you.”
  EU digital & tech sovereignty
• 2026-06-15 “Thank you very much. And the next speaker is, mister Tunkinenciet. 2 1 0, please. **Sebastian TYNKKYNEN Madam president, Antifa, Greenpeace, pro Palestine networks, although the left would wish otherwise, none of these is the EU's most important partner. What is then? It is The United States Of America unlike the left would wish. I have a message to the leftist in this chamber. You are free to hate Trump. I see also you hate the politicians in Europe who don't want our countries to be invaded by illegal migration. But do me a favor. Don't hate Europe. Because when you demand the dismantling of the partnership between The US and Europe, you actively want Europe to become less prosperous and less safe. Your anti Trump rhetoric isn't making us stronger. Your new climate goals are not making us stronger. Your new taxis are not making us stronger. What will make us stronger is the Transatlantic partnership. Thank you.”
  EU-US relations
• 2026-01-27 “E-000303/2026 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Séjourné on behalf of the European Commission The EU law 1 provides that all motor vehicles must have a towing device fitted at the front. This allows for the removal of damaged or stranded vehicles from the road. The installation of towing devices in the rear of passenger cars 2 , on the other hand, depends on whether these cars are suitable for towing loads. This is a choice of the manufacturer and needs to be declared by the vehicle manufacturer in the information document 3 when applying for the approval of the respective vehicle type. Towing devices fitted to the vehicles shall be able to withstand a tractive and compressive static force equivalent to the force of gravity acting on at least half the technically permissible maximum laden mass of the vehicle. Depending on their specific design and technical characteristics as well as approved wheel tyre combinations, different variants or versions of the same vehicle model and brand may differ as regards their suitability for towing loads. The manufacturers must clearly specify in the vehicle technical handbook or user’s instructions the information on the towing capabilities of the vehicle and on the mechanical coupling devices installed. 1 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02018R0858-20240701. 2 Vehicles of category M 1 . 3 See point 2.11.5 of the information document referred to in Article 24(1) of Regulation (EU) 2018/858.”
  Road transport environmental policy
• 2025-07-02 “E-002698/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen on behalf of the European Commission Article 40(12) is a key provision of the Digital Services Act (DSA) 1 enabling researchers to contribute to the governance of the DSA. This provision requires providers of Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) and Very Large Online Search Engines (VLOSEs) to give researchers who fulfil the conditions set out in that provision and who perform research that contributes to the detection, identification and understanding of systemic risks in the EU uspursuant to Article 34(1) DSA, access to data publicly accessible in their online interfaces. This access should be provided without undue delay and, where possible, to real-time data. Recital 98 DSA specifies that the publicly accessible data includes for instance “aggregated interactions with content from public pages, public groups, or public figures, including impression and engagement data such as the number of reactions, shares, comments from recipients of the service.” The Commission has initiated proceedings pursuant to Article 66(1) DSA against six providers of VLOPs for their compliance with Article 40(12) DSA. The Commission sent preliminary findings to X pursuant to Article 73(2) DSA on 12 July 2024 2 and has accepted AliExpress’ commitments pursuant to Article 71(1) DSA to enable independent access of public data via automated means, to maintain a dedicated Application Programming Interface, to provide customised datasets and to maintain a webpage providing relevant information on data access to researchers 3 . 1 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/2065/oj/eng. 2 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/commission-sends-preliminary-findings-x-breach-digital-servicesact. 3 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/commission-makes-aliexpress-commitments-under-digitalservices-act-binding.”
  EU rules on digital competition · Disinformation & online freedoms
• 2025-06-20 “E-002492/2025 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen on behalf of the European Commission The Digital Services Act (DSA) 1 obliges providers of very large online platforms (VLOPs) and of very large online search engines (VLOSEs), such as Google Search, to identify, assess, and analyse the systemic risks stemming from their services and its related systems, including algorithmic systems. Providers of VLOPs and VLOSEs are then required to put in place reasonable, proportionate and effective mitigation measures, tailored to the identified systemic risks, including (but not limited to) testing and adapting their algorithmic systems and adapting the design, features or functioning of their services. Under the DSA, risk assessments must be conducted on an annual basis and in any event prior to deploying functionalities that are likely to have a critical impact on the systemic risks identified. Since the designation of Google Search as VLOSE, the Commission has been diligently enforcing the DSA against the provider of Google Search. The Commission sent two requests for information to the provider of Google Search concerning the VLOSE. The first one concerned data access for researchers and the second one, Google’s assessment and mitigations for risks linked to generative AI, such as ‘hallucinations’, the viral dissemination of deepfakes, as well as the automated manipulation of services that can mislead voters 2 . Prior to the launch of AI Overviews in the EU, the provider of Google Search submitted an ad-hoc risk assessment to the Commission, which is currently under review. The Commission will continue to monitor the situation as part of its ongoing compliance assessment under the DSA and will not hesitate to use its enforcement powers under the DSA if evidence of noncompliance is found. 1 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/digital-services-act-package. 2 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/list-designated-vlops-and-vloses#ecl-inpage-google.”
  Artificial Intelligence · Search engines (liability)
• 2025-06-04 “E-002255/2025 Answer given by Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission Firstly, the Commission recalls that Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 1 provides that food information shall not be misleading, particularly as to the characteristics of the food and by attributing to the food effects or properties that it does not possess. Regarding nutrient profiles, technical work continues. Experience to date has shown that the work on these topics comes with a high degree of complexity and nuance, and the Commission is focusing on gathering robust evidence and data, with the objective of empowering consumers to make informed and healthy food choices. To promote healthy diets, the Commission is also working to create a favourable food environment, through instruments such as the EU Code of Conduct on Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices 2 or the Food and Beverages Labels Explorer (FABLE) 3 launched by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) in September 2023 to monitor the composition of packaged foods in Europe and the success of food reformulation initiatives in the Member States. Exploratory work is also ongoing on sustainable public procurement of food and catering services, where a JRC study 4 looked at criteria used by Member States for public catering contracts, including on nutrition. 1 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1169/oj. 2 https://food.ec.europa.eu/horizontal-topics/farm-fork-strategy/sustainable-food-processing/code-conduct_en. Under this code, signatory companies put forward commitments under seven aspirational objectives, out of the which one objective concerns healthy, balanced and sustainable diets for all European consumers. 3 https://food-labels-explorer.jrc.ec.europa.eu/en. 4 https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC139977.”
  Food labelling harmonisation at EU level · Nutrition
• 2024-12-12 “E-002915/2024 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen on behalf of the European Commission The Commission is aware that Google had launched a temporary test, removing EU press publishers' content from its services for 1% of users in eight Member States, including Denmark. The test ended on the 4 February 2025. The Commission considers that Google is entitled to conduct a time-limited test affecting a small part of users, provided it complies with obligations under applicable EU law. As a dominant company in the EU online search market, Google is prohibited from abusing market power under Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Article 15 of Directive 2019/790 1 grants exclusive rights to press publishers for the online use of their press publications by information society service providers. It does not oblige these service providers to make press publishers' content available. However, when they do, they are required to obtain authorisation from press publishers. Google Search is a core platform service for which Alphabet was designated as a gatekeeper under the Digital Markets Act 2 and is required to comply with its obligations. The Commission will take any necessary measures if Alphabet’s actions are found non-compliant. As a very large online search engine under the Digital Services Act 3 , Google Search is also required to comply with the obligations therein. Under the Platform-to-Business Regulation 4 , online platforms must give advance notice to publishers for content restriction or suspensions and offer dispute resolution mechanism. The European Media Freedom Act 5 introduces safeguards to protect reputable media providers against arbitrary content removal by very large online platforms. It also requires Member States to ensure access to diverse, independent media content. 1 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/790/oj 2 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/1925/oj/eng 3 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/2065/oj/eng 4 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32019R1150 5 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32024R1083”
  Search engines (liability) · EU rules on digital competition
• 2024-12-12 “E-002914/2024 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen on behalf of the European Commission Regarding the questions of the Honourable Member, the Commission refers to the answer given to written question E-002915/2024. ‘The Commission is aware that Google had launched a temporary test, removing EU press publishers' content from its services for 1% of users in eight Member States, including Denmark. The test ended on the 4 February 2025. The Commission considers that Google is entitled to conduct a time-limited test affecting a small part of users, provided it complies with obligations under applicable EU law.’ The answer provided to written question E-002915/2024 also pointed to the comprehensive set of EU legal tools to safeguard the flow of information in the internal market. The Commission will apply these rules, where relevant together with Member States. In particular, the Digital Services Act (DSA) 1 includes a risk mitigation framework that specifically covers systemic risks for election integrity and civic discourse. In February 2025, the Commission and the European Board for Digital Services endorsed the official integration of the voluntary Code of Practice on Disinformation (‘the Code’) 2 into the framework of the DSA. Full adherence to the Code may be considered as an appropriate risk mitigation measure for signatories designated as very large online platforms (VLOPs) and search engines (VLOSEs) under the DSA. The Code aims to combat disinformation risks, including to the civic discourse and electoral processes, while fully upholding the freedom of expression and enhancing transparency. Google is a signatory to specific elements of the Code. 1 Regulation (EU) 2022/2065, OJ L 277. 2 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/code-conduct-disinformation”
  Disinformation & online freedoms · EU rules on digital competition
• 2024-12-01 “E-002707/2024 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen on behalf of the European Commission The Digital Services Act (DSA) 1 entered into full application on 17 February 2024. The Member States were obliged to designate and empower their national Digital Services Coordinators (DSCs) by that date. It is those DSCs that are tasked with awarding the status of trusted flagger to applicants that meet the conditions of Article 22 DSA. It is of utmost importance for the Commission that the implementation of the DSA is completed as soon as possible. Significant resources are dedicated to support this objective, allowing the Commission to issue the necessary secondary legislation 2 , issue guidelines where needed 3 , and work efficiently with the European Board for Digital Services (the Board) 4 . Unfortunately, not all Member States designated and empowered their DSCs by 17 February 2024. As of 9 January 2025, the Commission therefore initiated 13 infringement procedures 5 against Member States that failed to do so 6 . Only once DSCs have been designated and empowered, can they award the trusted flagger status to eligible entities which can benefit from priority treatment of their notices by online platforms. While guidelines on trusted flaggers are not a requirement for DSCs to assign that status to eligible entities, the Commission is currently preparing such guidelines. The guidelines will be subject to public consultation in due course, after consulting the Board 7 . As of 19 December 2024, 15 trusted flaggers were listed on the dedicated website 8 of the Commission, including entities dedicated to the protection of minors. 1 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/2065/oj 2 See, for example, https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/implementing-regulation-laying-downtemplates-concerning-transparency-reporting-obligations or https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/haveyour-say/initiatives/13817-Delegated-Regulation-on-data-access-provided-for-in-the-Digital-Services-Act_en 3 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_1707 or https://digitalstrategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/commission-launches-call-evidence-guidelines-protection-minors-online-underdigital-services-act 4 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/dsa-board-working-groups 5 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/commission-calls-cyprus-czechia-estonia-poland-portugal-andslovakia-designate-and-fully-empower and https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/commission-calls-6member-states-comply-eu-digital-services-act 6 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/dsa-dscs 7 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/dsa-board 8 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/trusted-flaggers-under-dsa”
  Digital platforms liability for harmful and illegal content · Safety features & content control for child protection online
• 2024-11-27 “E-002689/2024 Answer given by Mr Tzitzikostas on behalf of the European Commission The Commission is aware of the detours that European airlines need to undertake to fly to many Asian destinations. This is a consequence of Russia’s refusal to allow EU airlines to overfly its territory. These detours result in longer and costlier operations to countries like China. Although in 2016 the Commission proposed to Member States to negotiate an EU aviation agreement with China, Member States chose not to pursue such an agreement. Therefore, air transport between the EU and China is currently governed by bilateral agreements between individual Member States and China. The Commission stands ready and has offered to engage with Member States in this matter if they so wish.”
  EU-Russia relations (from March 2022)
• 2024-10-14 “E-002043/2024 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen On behalf of the Commission The Commission shares the concerns of the Honourable Member about the risks of unsafe and illegal products sold online and is taking measures to address the issue through effective implementation and co-ordinated enforcement by the EU and national authorities of existing EU legislation. There are rules on the exemption of liability of online intermediaries since 2000 in EU law that have been interpreted by the Courts, as applying equally to social networks and online marketplaces. The Digital Services Act (DSA) 1 is aligned with these rules and has supplemented them with some specific conditions for online marketplaces (articles 29-32 DSA). Furthermore, it accompanies the exemption of liability with specific due diligence obligations, where it tackles the specific challenges posed by online marketplaces distinctively. For very large online platforms and very large search engines, the DSA refers to ‘a high-level of consumer protection enshrined in Article 38 of the Charter’ and to ‘the person’s physical […] wellbeing’ under the specific systemic risks that designated services should diligently identify, analyze and assess. This is intended to cover, in particular, the specific risks represented to consumers in the context of transactions facilitated by online marketplaces that are designated as very large online platforms, such as the sale of illegal products. The new General Product Safety Regulation 2 introduced further product safety obligations for providers of online marketplaces and reinforced product traceability requirements. The new Product Liability Directive 3 clarifies the liability of online marketplaces in case of damage caused by defective products when the manufacturer is not established in the EU and will be applicable from December 2026. 1 Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on a Single Market for Digital Services and amending Directive 2000/31/EC (Digital Services Act). 2 Regulation (EU) 2023/988 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 on general product safety, amending Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Directive (EU) 2020/1828 of the European Parliament and the Council, and repealing Directive 2001/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Directive 87/357/EEC. 3 Directive (EU) 2024/2853 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 on liability for defective products and repealing Council Directive 85/374/EEC, OJ L, 2024/2835, 18.11.2024.”
  Liability for online marketplaces
• 2024-10-14 “E-002044/2024 E-002045/2024 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen on behalf of the European Commission The Commission shares the Honourable Member’s concerns regarding the risk of noncompliant sellers selling unsafe and illegal products online and is taking measures to address the issue both through effective implementation and enforcement of existing EU regulation. At this stage and based on the evidence gathered, the Commission does not have indication that Temu resells products and operates as a producer or importer. Under the Digital Services Act (DSA) 1 , the Commission designated Temu as a very large online platform 2 . On 31 October 2024, the Commission opened formal proceedings 3 against Temu following the suspicion that it may have breached the DSA, notably in the areas linked to the sale of illegal products. The opening of formal proceedings in the context of the DSA is based on evidence collected to date, including findings obtained through requests for information sent to Temu 4 and the risk assessment report received by the Commission from the online marketplace. Depending on the findings and the investigation’s outcome, the Commission will take the appropriate actions. The Commission cannot disclose further details on the investigation at this stage. As mentioned in the replies to written questions E-002041/2024, E-002042/2024 and E002043/2024, providers of online marketplaces are liable under the DSA for the compliance with the due diligence obligations of the DSA. Moreover, in case of damage caused by defective products, the new Product Liability Directive 5 clarifies the apportionment of liability when the manufacturer is not established in the EU. 1 Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on a Single Market For Digital Services and amending Directive 2000/31/EC (Digital Services Act), OJ L 277, 27.10.2022, p. 1–102. 2 Commission Decision of 31 May 2024 designating TEMU as a very large online platform in accordance with Article 33(4) of Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council, C(2024) 3757 final, https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_3047 3 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/commission-opens-formal-proceedings-against-temu-underdigital-services-act 4 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/commission-requests-information-online-marketplaces-temu-andshein-compliance-digital-services-act and https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/commission-requestsinformation-under-digital-services-act-temu-traders-selling-illegal-products 5 Directive (EU) 2024/2853 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 on liability for defective products and repealing Council Directive 85/374/EEC, OJ L, 2024/2835, 18.11.2024.”
  Liability for online marketplaces
• 2024-10-14 “E-002041/2024 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen on behalf of the European Commission The Commission takes seriously the risks related to online marketplaces concerning the online sale of unsafe and illegal products in the EU. Article 8 of the Digital Services Act 1 (DSA) confirmed the prohibition to impose general monitoring obligations on providers of online intermediary services, including seeking facts of illegal activities, which existed in EU law since 2000. The DSA has also introduced fully harmonised due diligence obligations for providers of online marketplaces. Article 31 of the DSA requires providers of online marketplaces to carry out best efforts to assess the completeness of the information to be provided by traders concerning, among others, compliance with product safety EU law. Under Article 34 and 35 of the DSA, providers of very large online marketplaces are required to assess and effectively mitigate systemic risks that their services pose to consumer protection. Providers of online marketplaces are therefore liable under the DSA for the compliance with these due diligence obligations, which are consistent with Article 8 of the DSA 2 and account for their role as intermediaries. Complementing the horizontal framework of the DSA, the General Product Safety Regulation 3 introduces product safety obligations for providers of online marketplaces and reinforces product traceability requirements and the Product Liability Directive 4 clarifies that online platforms too can be held liable for the damage caused by a defective product, under certain conditions and, for instance, when such a product does not comply with safety legislation. The EU Customs Reform proposal 5 , under negotiation, proposes measures to strengthen the capacity of customs and other authorities to enforce compliance with EU rules. 1 Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on a Single Market For Digital Services and amending Directive 2000/31/EC (Digital Services Act), OJ L 277, 27.10.2022, p. 1–102 2 Recital 74 of the DSA. 3 Regulation (EU) 2023/988 of the Europan Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 on general product safety, amending Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Directive (EU) 2020/1828 of the European Parliament and the Council, and repealing Directive 2001/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Directive 87/357/EEC, OJ L 135, 23.5.2023, p. 1–51. 4 Directive (EU) 2024/2853 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 on liability for defective products and repealing Council Directive 85/374/EEC, OJ L, 2024/2853, 18.11.2024. 5 Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Union Customs Code and the European Union Customs Authority, and repealing Regulation (EU) No 952/2013, COM(2023) 258 final.”
  Liability for online marketplaces
• 2024-10-14 “E-002042/2024 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen on behalf of the European Commission The Commission takes seriously the risks related to online marketplaces, in particular related to unsafe and illegal products sold online in the EU. There are rules on the exemption of liability of online intermediaries since 2000 in EU law. The Digital Services Act (DSA) 1 confirmed and supplemented them with some specific conditions for online marketplaces. Furthermore, it introduced specific due diligence obligations for providers of online platforms, specifically, to address the specific challenges posed by online marketplaces (Articles 29 to 32). For very large online platforms, the DSA requires them to assess and effectively mitigate the systemic risks that their services pose to a high-level of consumer protection enshrined in Article 38 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU and the person’s physical well-being. This is intended to cover the risks represented to consumers in the context of transactions intermediated by very large online marketplaces, such as the sale of illegal products. Providers of online marketplaces are therefore liable under the DSA for the compliance with these due diligence obligations. Complementing the horizontal framework of the DSA, the General Product Safety Regulation 2 introduces product safety obligations for providers of online marketplaces and reinforces product traceability requirements and the Product Liability Directive 3 clarifies that online platforms too can be held liable for the damage caused by a defective product, under certain conditions and, for instance, when such a product does not comply with safety legislation. The EU Customs Reform proposal 4 , under negotiation, proposes measures to strengthen the capacity of customs and other authorities to enforce compliance with EU rules. 1 Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on a Single Market For Digital Services and amending Directive 2000/31/EC (Digital Services Act), OJ L 277, 27.10.2022, p. 1–102. 2 Regulation (EU) 2023/988 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 on general product safety, amending Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Directive (EU) 2020/1828 of the European Parliament and the Council, and repealing Directive 2001/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Directive 87/357/EEC, OJ L 135, 23.5.2023, p. 1–51. 3 Directive (EU) 2024/2853 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 on liability for defective products and repealing Council Directive 85/374/EEC, OJ L, 2024/2853, 18.11.2024. 4 Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Union Customs Code and the European Union Customs Authority, and repealing Regulation (EU) No 952/2013, COM(2023) 258 final.”
  Energy (green transition)
• “We have a lot of laws in place. So is the authorities not doing enough? Member States are responsible for for for smaller platforms. It's not small, but for platforms that are not is is it up to to that them to do more. Do you think that that we don't you think that we could do more already in the existing laws? And you spoke about anonymity. Is that an issue you think we should raise as well? Is is it possible to to consider not having, uh, not allowing anonymous accounts? And finally, to both of you, uh, one of the things that I hear most, uh, from, uh, the extreme, the far right, is that the DSA and all the laws we have in place is, is narrowing down our freedom of speech. What is your point of view on that? I, of course, think it's not true, but how do you look at it? Is the laws we have in place something that is restricting the freedom of speech in Europe? Thank you.”
  Disinformation & online freedoms
• “Thank you very much. Madam president, Minister, Commissioner, we talked about it two weeks ago here in the hemicycle. But it is important and it requires action piece as we knew it is over. Uncertainty and hybrid attacks are the new normal. Therefore, New Europe has to be able to stand on its own two feet and defend itself, preferably now, but at the latest in 2030. Our intelligence services say that Russia will be able to attack a European or an EU country within five years. So we can't wait 1015 years to get ready. So the Commission Plan Readiness 2030 is an important, vital step. Common drone defences, a common shield and a strengthened eastern flank. We need to do more. But the thing is, the further you get from the Ukrainian border, the less the willingness from European countries to do more. But we need to act. We need to be able to defend ourselves and be ready for that. So I support the commission plan. Thank you.”
  EU competences on defence
• “Thank you very much chair. And also a big thanks to you, Commissioner McGrath, for coming here. I think it's very useful, but I will not spend my time being polite. I would rather go into questions since I don't have so much time. First and foremost, I'm really happy to hear that you think that it is important to do something to protect minors more, and that the DFA will be the tool to to kind of close the loopholes we have. However, I am a little bit concerned about the timetable for it, because what we're talking about here is that earliest 2028, we will be able to do more to protect kids. I mean, you will present a proposal next year. It will take one year to negotiate it, and then it will last 1 to 2 years before it enters into force. And you have already made the correct analysis about the problem. It is about dark patterns. It's about commercial exploitation of our kids. It's about addictive designs, unfair commercial practices, etc. can't we do more to protect our kids a little bit faster? You could maybe even use the guidelines coming from the EU Commission very soon on article 28 in the DSA guidelines are non-binding, so maybe we could do something to make them binding in order to protect our kids? I think that is very important. Another question very fast is on the product safety. Also here I think we tend to treat the symptoms and not the problem. Shouldn't we make the big platforms from, for instance, China more liable for the products they are selling instead of making it up to enforcement and customs to make sure that we have safe products in Europe. Thank you very much.”
  Safety features & content control for child protection online
• “(15:51:12 – 15:52:29): Thank you very much, chair, and also thank you to Amazon for being here today. It's interesting and good for us to have a chance to discuss directly with you. I have a couple of questions. First and foremost, you're saying that you are removing a lot of unsafe products. But you also tell us that you have a very strict system with verification of sellers, etcetera. So how come you have unsafe products at all? Why is it that it's still needed for you to get rid of the unsafe products? Isn't there anything in your system that doesn't really work then if it doesn't automatically work like that? The second thing is that I think it'd be interesting to hear if you would agree that, for instance, both the customs reform, which is there is a political deal and the product act coming up, would make the online marketplace liable, like a seller. Is it your wish as well? I'm not really sure that I understood whether you wanted that or you wanted another system. And thirdly, can you promise that in the future, the products bought online on Amazon will be safe for every European consumer? Thank you very much.”
  Liability for online marketplaces
• “Thank you very much, chair. Also thanks to Gene for being here. Uh, even though like my colleague who just spoke that, uh, you know, I don't know if I'm, I don't think we got, uh, good answers. You're saying that you have comprehensive internal procedures for all your traders that they have to go through and and in order to be able to, to trade on your platform. But apparently the goods coming into Europe is not compliant for the large part of it. Uh, cosmetics, toys, uh, etc. we see that there are a lot of content in it that is illegal or unhealthy or both. So, uh, since you have these procedures, uh, what will you do to make them work? Because they are clearly not working today. And then for the European Commission also, thank you for coming here. You know that we have a huge interest and focus on this, uh, for good reasons, because we're quite fed up with the fact that our, uh, um, companies in Europe are put into what many of us seen as unfair competition because, uh, they cannot compete with products that are not complying with European laws. Uh, I know that you put a lot of measures in place, but what you have done so far is primarily letting the taxpayers do the job, or at least pay for the job because they're paying for the market surveillance.”
  Import of agri-food products in the EU
• “Thank you very much to the Commission. For the presentation of the action plan. Let me start by letting Andreas know that it is possible to take an electric car drive from Denmark through Germany to Italy with no problems, so the infrastructure might not be completely good, but it has been improved very much the recent years, and I do think that we will see in a few years more that it will be very, very good. So just to let you know that it is possible. I have a couple of questions to the commission. You're talking about simplification of the After regulation in in the sector. I think that's needed, no doubt. But can you promise us that it will be simplification and not deregulation? Because I think that's important. Uh, I've been working with the field for some years. Also, the type approval regulation here in Imco. And and I have to say that the industry has not been very willing themselves to to work positively, to become more agile and more competitive. And I think it is important that we try to to push them also a little bit in that direction. But I recognize that our rules might not be too simplified yet. So we can do more, but please do not deregulate.”
  EV charging infrastructure
• “They punished the responsible leaders of the companies and they compensated the consumers within half a year in EU, we ended up discussing five years and more, and then we ended up making a new type of regulation in order to make sure that we protect cars and companies and and citizens and consumers. But we didn't deliver. I think we need to turn it around and have clear goals. We don't want pollution. We don't. We want protection of consumers. We want fair competition. And then give a little bit more flexibility on methods, on how to deliver on that goals. If we don't do that, we will not truly have a better functioning internal market. But just finally, I think this is important because if you don't make sure that that consumers trust internal market and they feel that they have a protection, they will not use it. So we will. It's very important that we're not deregulating and getting rid of these rules, but we need to do it in another way. I think that's important. Thank you.”
  EU Single Market harmonisation
• “Thank you very much, chair. I don't have Danish today, so I will take it in English. Um, honestly, colleagues, I think it's a very interesting discussion about how we create a better, uh, functioning internal market. But to be very, very honest, I'm not sure that we are getting there with the suggestions that we have on the table right now. You might get rid of a couple of rules that seem to be burdensome for companies, but you're creating. On the other hand, frustration amongst consumers and and others who work for the green agenda and and we will not yet get a full, true, well-functioning internal market, to be very honest, because what is on the table will probably not help that much. But I think we need to do is we need to turn it completely around. We need to make sure that we have clear goals about what is the single market. How can we create a fair, a truly fair competition amongst companies and at the same time really make consumers safe and trust the internal market? Let me give you an example. I have been working in the past on the approval of vehicles and surveillance, surveillance and vehicles in the aftermath of the Dieselgate scandal and there within half a year, something like that, America did take off the dirty cars.”
  EU Single Market harmonisation
• “Thank you very much. And I do apologise for not being here from the beginning. So I did not hear all your presentations, but it was interesting to listen to the ones I heard and, and I and I understand the difficulties we are facing. At one hand we have, in my opinion, good rules enforcement is is still lacking a bit behind in some areas, but then we start discussing with each other. Do we then need extra rules? Do we need to deregulate or simplify the rules we already have? And and for me, that is somehow a very classical EU way we do things. Uh, so maybe that is not good for the business environment at least, because then it becomes a bit difficult for them to know what they have to work with in the future. Having said that, I also believe that we need to do something both ad rules and also simplify. But it's it's classical and it will be difficult for the companies. So I have a couple of questions. Uh, so, uh, isn't it true that one of the very important things to create a real competitive environment, uh, for different platforms, for instance, social media, uh, is not just the business model, but also interoperability.”
  Interoperability requirements for digital platforms
• “Commissioner. Minister. We cannot bring into question our support for Ukraine. Ukraine has. Been facing warfare for almost 4000 days now because we mustn't forget the attack on Crimea. So they're not asking for us just to support them. They're calling for our action. We have to be in a position, therefore, to solve the financial issues. Because even if Ukraine is part of our region, um, they are also responsible for war in Europe. And if Russia has struck there, they can strike us as well. So it's our duty to act. We therefore call for Russian imports of Russian oil into Europe be stopped. That's allowing them to fund this war. I do hope that the council will be able to solve the situation. The Ukrainians are calling on us to act, and they're helping us to to defend peace in Europe.”
  EU-Russia relations (from March 2022)
• “Thank you. Far too many children are bullied. When this happens online, it means there are more people and more people involved in bullying. It's terrible. And we have to do something. So it's good today and this day for a safe internet. We have a new tool that is an action plan to fight online bullying. We have to do something about this. We have a good EU legislation, the Digital Services Act, amongst other. They must it must be implemented. There must be more resources the member states have to step up to. On top of that, we have to do more about this. We need to have an age limit for children to use social media, because at present it's not safe for children and young people. So we need to have a common European age limit. That would be an important step in the fight to protect children and young people, and we have to do all the tools that the commission has mentioned in its action plan. I think we are moving towards a safer internet for children and young adults.”
  Age restrictions on children's access to social media
• “But and that will of course be a huge discussion about what to do here, but I hope that you are willing to go with me and discuss what we can do, because we need some more tools. And I think that looking at the guidelines, I also think that the Commission agrees on this. Then, um, we cannot say that this will be a silver bullet in general, to protect miners, we need to do more. And therefore, I think that it is important also to look at the gaps in the in the existing regulation. First and foremost, we need a level playing field between rules for platforms and rules for the rest of the internet. That is not platform. So when we have a ban on targeted advertising for minors, then we should. That is what we have for platforms. We should also have it for non platform services online. But still that's not enough. And I'm calling for a horizontal legislative initiative that could tackle the issue of addictive design.”
  Safety features & content control for child protection online
• “Cyber bullying is not just a word on a screen. It has real consequences for real children and young people. And we know the life on social media. Cyberbullying is just one of many negative consequences that our young can meet. And for far too long, the platforms have earned the money on harassment and humiliation. We cannot accept that. With the DSA, we made an important step. We said that what is illegal offline is also illegal online, and we gave the platforms responsibility, but we're not quite there yet because it continues to happen. We find them, but in not enough is happening. So we have to talk about stronger frameworks. That goes for the criminal area as well. I think we have to think about whether the platform should not be held responsible. When we can see that time and again, they do not do enough to protect our children and our young. We have to take our responsibility seriously. We have to make sure that something happens so that we can protect our.”
  Digital platforms liability for harmful and illegal content
• “Thank you very much, chair, and a big thanks to all the speakers. It was very interesting, and I thank you for your many good ideas for us in this work. This morning I had a conversation in Denmark with some journalists about, yes, the whole situation, foreign interference, social media impact, trust, etc. you know, the whole thing we're discussing here as well. And a couple of ideas came up and I want to hear if you think that that could be useful as well. For instance, since the business model for media in Europe is is under pressure from big tech companies could it be useful to have more support for local and regional media? Would that help? And then we were discussing and this is probably sensitive, but it could be interesting to hear your point of view also Miss Haugen. But everyone here, how about giving the social media some editorial responsibility? Is that a way out of this as well? We have been discussing it. I know that it is sensitive. There is a risk for freedom of speech, etc. for some maybe, but but I think it could be worth considering. And I would like to hear your point of view on this. Thank you very much.”
  EU support for traditional (non-digital) media
• “Thank you very much. Executive Vice President. And now we will start with the first round of political group speakers. And the first is Mr. Baker for two minutes, please.”
  EU political integration
• “Thank you very much for this, and also a big thanks to the European Commission for having made this impact. Sorry, a consultation process, and it's good to see that it very much mirror what the report of of from the European Parliament says about at least protecting minors. So my question is now more on the timetable for this. Uh, when do you expect I think I saw a quarter, the fourth, but it's quite long until that we are in January. So before it's presented and worked with and adopted it, if we're lucky, we can do something in two years. Protect kids better. Is there any chance that makes it possible to speed up on that, since we kind of agree on what is needed to be done? Second, a second part is on age verification. Age limits. You did not mention anything about that. That was a part of our report as well. Have you considered putting that into the DFA? And third, uh, one of the discussions around how to make the platforms comply better. Uh, I mean, today we can find them. Uh, it is costly, but they earn a lot of money, so it doesn't really impact them. We also had a discussion here in the House about other types of liability for, uh, either business owners or business managers liabilities. Is it something you could consider doing when it's about protecting kids? That could be interesting to to know as well? But thank you very much for your work. I just want you to be a little bit faster. Thank you.”
  Age restrictions on children's access to social media · Safety features & content control for child protection online
• “Thank you very much. Also to all the speakers for your knowledge and your recommendations. They are heard. Well, I one comment on the social media and the issues we face around that and the digital rule book in EU. I think it's I've been working with that quite a lot myself, and I do think it is important that we make sure that being a part of EU also means that, that that countries should comply with the rule book, and we should also see what we can do to push a very large online platforms to do more in terms of making sure what is happening in the, in the, in the candidate countries is almost similar to what they're doing. In EU. I think that's a very important point. The real question I have is around, uh, the question about media and support for independent media. Uh, in the last round, we also heard that one side of the Parliament thinks that every kind of support from EU makes the media independent. What is your point of view on that? I don't share that point of view. I think it's also about editorial independence, etc. but I would be happy to hear your point of view on on whether any kind of support from EU would make the media, uh, impossible to believe in. Thank you.”
  EU support for traditional (non-digital) media
• “Europe War in Europe is not just something that we read about in history books. It's part of reality. Ukraine is fighting the fourth year of their defense of democracy. Denmark takes its responsibility. Front states take their responsibility. And now the rest of the countries need to get on board. We need to decide whether we want to defend our continent at all. We can't just talk about it. If we want a strong Europe, we need to act, we need to rearm, and we need to invest together. The European Commission has proposed how we could do this. It's a good suggestion and the Council has said we can do this now, not in five years or ten. We can't just put the responsibility on the shoulders of those those that are closest to the war. We need to share in this responsibility. We cannot doubt. We must stand for Ukraine, and I'm sure Europe can do it if we want to.”
  Defence spending
• “For others, it's the Communist Party in Beijing and the tech proxies at Tik Tok and the children. Well, at least in Denmark, they say, help us in Denmark. Almost 70%, 70% report that they want to spend less time on social media. And the parents, the message I hear from parents is the same. We need support. We need your help because no parent and no child can stand alone against the raw forces of these algorithmic systems. Only we politicians have the power to end this experiment. I'm proud of this Parliament that we can stand together in protecting our minors online. I want to thank the brilliant shadow rapporteurs working on this file. Thank you for taking responsibility. Thank you for standing on the side of parents and children. I hope the rest of you will join us in supporting this report. Remember, also, many Member States are taking actions. Some are introducing age limits on social media. Others are removing phones from classrooms. And the commission is also paying attention. I'm pleased to see president von der Leyen Experts Group on this issue. The European Parliament cannot and should not be silent on this topic. And therefore this report is important and it builds a.”
  Safety features & content control for child protection online · Age restrictions on children's access to social media
• “I apologize, I apologize to those colleagues who could not speak now. This morning. Yeah, I know that many of you have been here. I know that many of you have been here the whole the whole debate. And we are aware and we we did not have enough time to give the floor to all of you. We have a celebration at 12:00 that we need to stick to. And we have also other debates. So I do apologize. And and it doesn't help. It doesn't help shouting. I have to say it doesn't help shouting and we took a common decision about giving the floor to those of you who asked for the floor first. So it's based on time. When you push the button and we can, we can. Yeah. But we we do not have more time. So I will not be able to give more of you speaking time on the catch the eye. But of course, point of order. If you can refer to a specific paragraph, I will give you the floor. See. Mr.. Mr. Costas, Mr. Costas, you have to. I will give the floor to Mr.. Costas. Seat 180, please. Sorry.”
  EU public communication strategy
• “Thank you very much Chair, Chair and colleagues. On behalf of Alex he gave me his notes and he said that he wants to report back from the trialogue on the package travel directive with some good news. In the second trialogue meeting yesterday they reached a deal on the outstanding political points with the Danish presidency and let me summarize the main points. They were able to agree on the enforcement part of the directive. It has now included a complaint handling mechanism with compulsory deadlines. Organizers will have to confirm the receipt of a complaint within seven calendar days and provide a reason to reply within sixty calendar days. In exchange the Parliament had to drop the harmonization of minimum fines that were a sore point for the member states. On the definition on the scope of what constitute a package they found a middle ground between the Parliament and Council position. There will be an information requirement introduced when a trader or an organizer invites the traveler to book additional travel services to make clear that this does not constitute a package. If the traveler gets invited to book additional services before agreeing to pay the first service and he books within twenty four hours this additional service and the information requirement is not met a package is formed. As a consequence there is not enough time now to go into all the details and we will have to vote on the agreement at another time. For Alex this agreement is in line with his principle that we need to balance between consumer protection with a legitimate interest of the travel industry to provide these services. Alex wants to thank team shadows, their advisers and the secretariat for the constructive cooperation and the fact that they supported him to get the best result possible on the basis of the EP mandate. Thank you very much.”
  EU consumer protection rules: stricter requirements and tougher enforcement vs business flexibility and reduced burden
• “Colleagues, we have far too many requests for catch the eye to accommodate everyone. So together with Vice-President Verhoeven and I, we have put put a list together, balanced between the groups and based on when you asked for. Catch the eye and we will begin with Mr. Steer. 673, please.”
  EU public communication strategy
• “Thank you very much, chair and dear colleagues, on behalf of Randall Benfey, who unfortunately is not able to be here, uh, I am going to report back on his behalf. So I will read the text he sent me this morning. So he said, colleagues on the 4th of February, the joint Imco. Working group met with commissions AI office to take stock of two implementation items. The first, the draft code of practice under article 50 on transparency for generative AI, and the Commission's Digital Omnibus on AI proposal on the code. Uh, the the chairs. The working group chairs confirmed the direction a voluntary commission endorsed tool to analyze a marketing, uh, marking a detection and deepfake disclosure. Members stressed that transparency must be technically robust. Meta data and watermarks can be stripped, so the code needs measurable. Interoperability requirements and additional testing. We also pushed for traceability approaches that remain privacy and rights preserving. Avoiding excessive logging or verify setups that could expose sensitive information on the deployer side. Members warned against over labeling driven by a vague AI assisted category and asked for workable, context sensitive disclosure for short form formats and live content. On the omnibus, the AI office presented the intended changes to the AI act. The next meeting of the AI working Group will be on March the 4th, and will discuss the enforcement and governance structure of the AI act. Thank you.”
  Transparency and oversight of AI-generated content
• “Thank you president. Europe can't stand on the sidelines anymore. And watch the global tech race. We need massive investment in innovation. Unless we do that, we'll stay behind. Not because we lack talent, but because we don't invest in it enough. Too many European ideas die before they get to the market, or they leave Europe to survive because they can't survive here. And that's something we need to change. We need to invest massively and strategically. We need to invest in technology, in digital infrastructure and in everything that can make Europe strong, independent and competitive. And we need to send a clear message to firms, give them a strong framework. It's about competitiveness and also our future and security in Europe. So we need to be clear that we cannot be dependent upon other states in this area. We can't miss out on this. Let's get moving. It's urgent.”
  EU digital & tech sovereignty
• “Thank you very much. All of you here today for participating in this debate about this very important own initiative report. First and foremost, I will say that I heard no one say that the internet is safe for kids today. So I think we all agree that it is not a very safe space, and therefore we need to do something we might differentiate about what we need to do. Some of you says that it is up to the parents to make sure that their kids are safe online. Others of us believe that that task is too big for parents, for individual parents, when they are up against a big, big, big tech companies and their algorithms. And therefore, I want to say to all of you who shares that idea, let's see what we can do. We will not take away the responsibility for for parents, but we need to help them, making sure that their kids are safe. And it is possible also to have an age limit and some kind of age assurance mechanisms that are privacy preserving, that are robust and that are accurate. And that is what we need. No one says that it is a quick fix, that it that it is a silver bullet. But we believe that we need to do more than we're doing today. And therefore, I also want to say a big thanks to the Commission and Commissioner McGrath and Executive Vice president for being here today, but also for your remarks that even though we have a lot of good laws in place that more needs to be done, we need to close the loopholes. But I could also say that the more, faster and better you're enforcing the existing rules, the smaller the loopholes are. So that's also a signal to you. Please do whatever you can already today to help our kids to be safe. And let's together work and do more. Because we need to do more. Because today our kids are not safe when they're online. Thank you very much, everyone.”
  Age restrictions on children's access to social media · Safety features & content control for child protection online
• “Oh, thank you very much. Thank you all for your interesting presentations. And to be very honest, I'm happy that I'm not in your shoes trying to enforce the rules we made. But but I do have to say that it's it's good to hear, but we also need to understand that we need to do something about it. It is too complex, too fragmented to deliver on what we want to deliver. Having a safe internal market for for goods, products, uh, and to have a fair competition for our companies and with this very fragmented, uh, set of rules we have, it doesn't really work. So my question to you is, uh, more, you know, I fully hear you and understand you on the, on the CPC, but, uh, is it enough to change that regulation to make it more, uh, you know, harmonized and maybe even strengthen the EU level of it? Or is it, in fact, better to go directly to the core of the problem, uh, to look at the responsibilities for the economic operators? And by that I.”
  EU Single Market harmonisation
• “The next speaker on behalf of patriots is Mr. Andre Noahtech. For one minute, please. **Ondřej KNOTEK Thank you, Madam Chairman. Mr. Commissioner, this is very impressive and ambitious project. Its success could increase energy autonomy in states around the North Sea. Also granted, political support is a very good signal. However, even more important is the long term trust of private investors of the capital. And this is not granted. The uncertainty remains high. Slow growth development, scale up issues and risks that real costs could massively exceed estimations. So as I said, this project deserves attention and support, but I would strongly recommend not to consider its success as guaranteed. At the same time, we should, in all regions of Europe to focus on diversification of stable sources. For example, of the nuclear energy. Putting all eggs into one basket does not work, especially within the energy sector. Thank you very much.”
  Off-shore renewables
• “Thank you very much. First and foremost, thank you to the rapporteur for a very good job done here. And secondly, I would like to echo what uh, uh, Katarina Barley just said. I think that we need really to be aware of what we're facing when we're talking about miners and their, their life online. And even though no one of us believe that an age verification system is a silver bullet, we even write it in the report we made last week that it is not a silver bullet. We believe, I believe truly, that it can help us protect minors until we are in a situation where we have better social media platforms that take responsibility for the content and not addictive design features, etc.. But right now that's not the case. And I don't believe that in this Parliament it is possible to do anything about, uh, obligations on platforms when it comes to content. So, so therefore, uh, a way to protect them relatively fast, uh, and to a very large extent, even though it's not 100%, I think it's verification tools, uh, is a useful tool. And we are not alone here in the Parliament on that, as several member states are doing the same. They call for this, uh, and, and I think we need to listen to that concern. I don't trust the social media platforms. They have the tools in their hands. They have had several years to protect minors, to show that they are willing to do something, to make sure that they are not enter into rabbit holes or seeing really dangerous, illegal content. They have done nothing and therefore we need to take on the obligation and responsibility, knowing, of course, that it is not a silver bullet. Thank you.”
  Age restrictions on children's access to social media · Safety features & content control for child protection online
• “Fortunately, much more speakers request for speaking time than I can give out, so I've tried to use some objective criteria. If you haven't been speaking earlier in the debate, try to distribute all over the groups and also mix of countries. So I tried with some objective criteria, and I do apologize for those of you who will not get speaking time. I will begin with Mr. Marcus 311, please.”
  Multilingualism in EU institutions
• “So that could maybe. I would like to hear your comments on that. But, you know, in general, I think that we should do almost everything you told us to do because that's the way to do it. However, is it enough? You know, I really am a bit afraid. But then again, I don't know whether it's because I'm too old now, because I have been living in a society without I. And when I look at the young people, you know, they are using AI for exams and everything. And in Denmark we are considering accepting this, but then do other things to prove whether people have learned something or not. So, so maybe we we just have to look at it and use it and make sure that the language models are not biased, that we look into the money trace, I think, always follow the money and maybe try to look at the business models, etc.. So thank you very much. I am a little bit afraid. But then again, we need just to act and make sure that we have a lot of different tools in our hands, and I would be happy to learn more in the coming months from you. Thank you.”
  Governance of academic priorities within the EU
• “Colleagues, we have far too many requests for catch the eye to accommodate everyone. So together with Vice-President Verhoeven and I, we have put put a list together, balanced between the groups and based on when you asked for. Catch the eye and we will begin with Mr. Steer. 673, please.”
  EU public communication strategy
• “Am in fact talking about are we making those who are manufacturing the products or those who are making the products available in the European market enough responsible? So should we make the platforms, uh, give them a clearer responsibility for the products they are selling? Is isn't it, that we see, isn't it, where the problem is with the platforms rather than, uh, you know, a question of resources and cooperation at EU level? The problem is so many millions products enter on a daily basis in EU, and we cannot really solve that problem unless we are making the platforms responsible. So it should be. So my question to you is is it there or is it will it really help if we, uh, get rid of some of the complex aspects of our regulation? Um, so what to do? Uh, I think you have a full support from the Parliament side. We are willing to do a lot of things here. We just need to know what the right thing is to do. Thank you.”
  Liability for online marketplaces
• “We also need to make sure that our enforcement system is ready to cope with that. But, uh, we, um. Yeah, the only thing I want to say is, uh, in the end is that we I'm a little bit sad about the lack of participation from the members of the European Parliament side. Uh, on the other meetings, we have had more members present, but this time we did not. So I think it is important that we also highlight, uh, that presence really matters. We are there to represent citizens and follow up of what we did on the DSA. And in order to to do so, we need to be present. However, some some of it might also be a question of being better, uh, in time. You know, planning, planning better planning so that we have the dates for the meetings out earlier so people have a chance to to plan for it. But besides that, we had a very good meeting. And I really as I said before, chair, I really think that these meetings matters. It is good that we are following the implementation. So thank you very much.”
  EU engagement with citizens
• “Thank you very much chair. And also for my side. Thank you to our speakers for for this. It was very interesting. I will stay in the same topic as Mister Toby and ask you to come up with some advices and recommend us on what to do because at one hand, it is deeply worrying and problematic when we see that undemocratic forces are trying to use NGOs to to to let them do their job. I mean, the, the, the forces, we don't want the undemocratic forces. But on the other hand, for us in the EU, it's also very important that we develop the civil society in the neighbor states and candidate countries. And how can we make sure that we, uh, help financing the Democratic forces and the civil society in order to develop a democratic society and then avoid interference in a way we don't want to have interference. So I would like to have your ideas about that. Some of you said that it's about stronger enforcement in in the laws we already have, but how to differentiate between the good forces and the bad forces, And if you should recommend something also internally in the EU. What do we have the right laws? Is it primarily an enforcement question, or is it also a question of building up new rules and regulations? So this is very important because from the S&D group side, we we truly believe that it is important to strengthen civil society, but we also need to make sure that it's done in a way where we support the right forces and not the anti-democratic forces that would develop the candidate countries into something that would not be feasible for you. Thank you very much.”
  Foreign interference in Europe
• “I am informed, taking over the chairing now so that you are not registered, as far as I understand. Okay. Okay. It was decided by by my previous vice president. And because we are in time limits, we are delaying the vote. And that's why it was her decision. I cannot change it. Thank you. Please understand. So, Commissioner, the floor is yours.”
  Transparency requirements of EU institutions
• “Thank you very much, chair. And a huge thank you to all the speakers here today. It was very interesting. I might also have this feeling of, you know, I'm looking at a dystopian society with all the things you told us. And and sometimes I end up kind of, you know, thinking, oh, my God, is it too late? Can't we do anything? Because I feel that this is really used in a negative way. It is a huge threat to our societies and well-being. Not just democracy, but also people's well-being in democracy. Trust is key. And if we end up not being able to trust anybody or anything, then where are we? However, I'm also happy to hear some of your very concrete and good recommendations. I'm happy to learn that the DSA. I was the rapporteur on the DSA. The Digital Services Act is a very good tool and I'm aware that in the EU Commission right now, they're looking into whether the large language model should be under the scope of the DSA or not. That could maybe help a little bit. The AI act is also very soon coming into real implementation and enforcement. However, it's also one of the proposals that are questioned on whether it should be revised in an omnibus.”
  Artificial Intelligence
• “The debate is closed. The next item on the agenda is the joint debate on the Common Agricultural Policy. We have the report by Mr. Rodriguez amending certain Cap regulations as regards to conditionality systems. Types of intervention in form of direct payment. Types of intervention in certain sectors and rural development and annual performance reports. Data and interoperability. Governance. Suspensions of payments. Annual performance clearance and control and penalties. And the second report. The report by Mr. Emad. Strengthening of the position of farmers in the food chain. And we will begin with rapporteur Celine Emad, please. The floor is yours.”
  EU policy on farmer–buyer relations in the agri-food supply chain
• “Mr. Kelleher, please. **Billy KELLEHER Yes, the housing crisis is a challenge for the individuals for a generation and could fracture the social cohesion and generational solidarity. So we are in the midst of a crisis. And rather than climbing into the ideological trenches and trying to fight it from there, maybe we should just look at the obvious problems that we have. Supply is a significant challenge, and it seems to me that states and local authorities are conspiring to stop the development of homes by the fact that the planning and the permitting system in Ireland and across most of Europe is a significant challenge to developing homes and whether they are for the private sector, for the rental sector or for social housing, it simply is impossible at the moment to get homes through the planning process in Ireland. I also welcome the fact that the. The reform of the state aid rules is included in this report. That is a significant issue, and I believe those on the left should really look at this as an issue that, you know, we fought hard to ensure would be included because that will give flexibility to member states to fund local authority, social and affordable housing. So I very much welcome that. The issue of the single market and building materials.”
  EU policy on urban development
• “A big thanks to you, Mister Victor, for this very, very interesting presentation. A bit scary, I have to say. Um, so I honestly, there's a lot of things I could ask questions about, but maybe let me only do it in two areas. One, you talk about, uh, the online environment and that it's a place for radicalization, but also recruitment. Uh, but, uh, and therefore it's also easier to get into contact with others who normally not would be, uh, be recruited in old times, maybe not be recruited for terror attacks, terror activities. So, uh, is it a challenge that we can do something about? I mean, kind of, you know, with the online world, the whole world is open for everyone. Uh, so, uh, are we lacking more behind now than we we normally used to do because of the shift in the landscape and in the fact that that new types of people are, uh, being attracted. The second question goes around, maybe also in the online world, I was the parliament's chief negotiator on the Digital Services Act. And, uh, and I hear you, uh, that it might not be enough any longer, But right now there is a tendency in EU that we are not regulating extra, but we are going to deregulate or at least simplify. But what kind of, uh, extra, uh, legislative tools do you think you could need? Is it making the platforms responsible for the content so that they act more? Today, they are primarily acting when they are notified about something, but should they be more responsible? So maybe you could give us some more, uh, considerations about that. But thank you very much. It was very, very interesting.”
  Digital platforms liability for harmful and illegal content
• “Thank you very much. Dear colleagues. Dear executive Vice-President Virkkunen. We are in the middle of an experiment, an experiment where American and Chinese tech giants have unlimited access to the attention of our children and young people for hours every single day, almost entirely without oversight. No one in this room can ignore the impact the screens have on our children and young people. Here are some facts. We know that almost 80% of minors look at their phone hourly. Almost 50% of them do it constantly. These services are highly addictive and carefully engineered to keep attention. Algorithms and endless data collection track every behavior, making it almost impossible to put down the phone. And how are the children rewarded for staying online? Well, a hit of dopamine. The prize for putting down the phone. Emptiness and anxiety. And what do our children see online? In Denmark, 50% of young people report seeing violent and offensive content. They can end up in rabbit holes, seek murder, violence, Suicide and self-injury. And if it's not violent content, it's commercials. 50% of content viewed online is commercial. The platforms are becoming an ever increasing commercial environment for our minors. And who is behind this experiment? Well, pick your favorite villain. For some, it's Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg.”
  Safety features & content control for child protection online
• “And a big thanks to you, Commissioner McGrath, for being here in Imco and also for your kind words on the Imco own initiative report on how we protect minors. I'm very satisfied with the result, but I will have to say that it was a joint effort here in Imco. And as you said, it's important to see that there was a huge support behind it. And I think that's a very important signal. And therefore, I also think, and I hope that the Commission will take our calls quite seriously. One of the things we have not touched much upon today is The call for an age limit, European harmonised age limit and some kind of mechanisms to to to assure that, um, is it something you expect could be put into the Digital Fairness Act? I fully understand the need for only closing loopholes. I agree on that. But this is a loophole and I think we hopefully can do something. And then the second part I would like to ask about you said it yourself. It was about product safety. I'm really happy that you went to China and talked to the Chinese politicians and authorities. Uh, you're correct. We need to look.”
  Age restrictions on children's access to social media
• “Thank you very much. And colleagues, I will speak in Danish, but I will comment on what has been said so far. First of all, allow me to warmly thank Alexandra for taking this initiative and allowing us to have this debate today. One of the biggest lies being spread today is this idea that the DSA is a tool for censorship. That is quite simply wrong. And you say that it's an attempt at censorship. That is a lie that's being spread and it's not on. When something is illegal, then illegal content needs to be removed. If you have foreign interference or something undermining democracy, you have to have actions and it's up to the platforms to do that job, so we cannot spread this lie. Nobody is going to be silenced today. Social medias have become part of democratic, our democratic fabric. And that's why we need a just and fair and transparent methods. Uh, so I think it's not right to say that these platforms are fair or transparent. Any kind of foreign. There is also foreign interference that happens in other areas as well. And in America. And and people are saying that because we want to apply our European law in Europe, that they want to sanction European companies. Surely that is also a an attempt to influence our democratic decision making. And that's not something we can accept. So we have to have a fair application of DSA and build a strong, resilient democracy in Europe so that we can have a fair and balanced debate. All voices should be heard. But we need to be able to do that. Uh, that's not possible in social media right now, which is why we have to have this law implemented properly. Thank you.”
  Digital platforms liability for harmful and illegal content
• “Thank you very much. And I will use the opportunity to speak in Danish. Okay, Minister. Welcome to the European Parliament and to the Environment Committee. I'm delighted to see you here. I'd also like to thank you for presenting the Danish presidency's plans. And I'm pleased that you're here representing the whole council, not just Denmark. The question I'd like to ask you is related to antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance, which seems to be developing dramatically. Is the Danish presidency intending to taking this issue on? It's an important point for human health as well as animal well-being. So I'd like to hear you say a few words about that. I'd also like to mention the fact that the green transition is also part of the Danish presidency's priorities. But how will that work at the council if there are? If there's hesitation expressed by some, or if it's considered that this would run counter to competitiveness in agriculture or in other sectors? So what initiatives might work.”
  Antimicrobial resistance
• “Thank you very much, chair. And I do apologize for not hearing the whole presentation. However, I think it's important also to have some lessons learned, as Mr. Altschuler asked about. But if I should start a place, it could be that. What do you think? Across, you know, all different perspectives. You could have governmental, civil society, academia, etc.. What do you see as the most single? The single most important factor when you want to build trust amongst citizens during an election where you're under external pressure, what is the most important thing, uh, to, to be aware of? Um, and maybe, um, do you think that we have the right tools in EU at the moment also to, to make sure that we inside the EU are able to, to withstand external pressure? Thank you very much.”
  Foreign interference in Europe
• “Thank you, chair. And thank you very much to all of the speakers for a very good presentations. And I share many of your point of views. And in Imco, we had a recently adopted a report where we, as it was said, also call upon some actions from the European Commission, amongst other things, age verification mechanisms in place and also EU harmonised age limit to access social media. But I have a question for, uh, first and foremost for, uh, Mrs. Kulczyk, who talked about the porn sites. One of the things that we hear very often is that if we put in an age limit and age control, uh, young people are using VPN connections to avoid to circumvent that. What is your response to that? Is it possible to find ways to avoid that? And to Mrs. Van Best from the commission? Um, you said that the EU Commission is going to also listen to the children's perspectives in the upcoming work. That's always good to listen to the perspectives. However, I would like to hear how I was considering doing it. I also heard it from Mr. Aggarwal this morning. How are you thinking of doing it? And have you considered that if you ask kids about restricting their access to certain services online, do you think that they want to have that? Don't you think that their automatic reaction would be that they would be against it? So, I mean, isn't it the adult's responsibility to to go in on this? I would like to hear your concerns or your considerations. It's good to listen to the perspectives, but we also need to understand that a 12 year old boy or girl cannot always foresee the consequences of their behaviour, and therefore I think we need to act also as adults. But thank you very much for this.”
  Age restrictions on children's access to social media
• “Shouldn't you do more to make the company a responsible gene pay for for making sure that things are tackled? And then my last comment is, is it at all possible to consider a liability for gene in another way than what we have today? We tried it when we made the Digital Services Act. At that time we had no majority for it, but at that time it was back in 2020, uh, a lot of member states did not see the same level of, uh, of products coming in. So can we today do something about, uh, amending either the DSA on this or do more in terms of legislation so that there is no discussion that gene should be Uh, liable for the products they are selling in Europe so that we have one place to go when we have to make sure that the law is is complied with and consumers are kept safe. Thank you.”
  Liability for online marketplaces
• “Thank you very much, chair. And first and foremost, I would like to say that I think what we're doing here in Imco, following the implementation of of some of the very important laws we made last, a mandate is a very, very good thing. It makes us sure that the Commission is doing what they're supposed to do, and we can keep track. And I think we can learn a lot also in in upcoming legislations on how to how to make sure that we are working and working with the legislation in a good manner. So I just want to thank you and the Secretariat for making it possible for us to have these working groups. Yes, we had a meeting last week in Strasbourg with uh, with attendance of, uh, Executive Vice President Virtanen. And I think it was a very, very good meeting. It was a breakfast meeting. So we were not so many people there, but the responsible people from all the groups were there, and I think we had a very good exchange of view, and we were discussing a lot of things. I cannot say everything, of course, because it's in camera. But we talked about, for instance, the guidelines are on article 28, the protection of minors, which is a very important topic for us here as well. Uh, yesterday the commission presented the final, uh, guidelines for article 28, but we were discussing them. We also discussed, uh, whether, uh, the digital laws of EU were a bargaining chip in the, in the tariff negotiations with us, and we were told that they were not, which is a good thing as, as well.”
  Transparency requirements of EU institutions
• “Thank you. I've used grok, and I think grok and AI actually can work. They can fact check. But grok has also been used to create sexual images. That's not innovation or freedom of speech. That is a digital assault. And the EU has the rules already. We have our rulebook and we need to use them now. Dsa, GDPR we need to enforce the rules so this doesn't happen. Analysis has shown that more than half of the images created on grok are people not really dressed, and a large part of them are women. Musk say that this is censorship when we want to treat this. I just think it's normal protection of women and children. It's not about the technology, it's about dignity and putting people above profit, which is why we need to enforce. Thank you.”
  Digital platforms liability for harmful and illegal content