Internet: 2005-2008 action programme on promoting a safer use, Safer Internet plus.

PURPOSE: to establish a multiannual Community Programme on promoting safer use if the Internet and new online technologies.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision 854/2005/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of Ministers.

CONTENT: The Council adopted the Safer Internet Plus programme, which aims to empower parents and teachers with internet safety tools. The 4-year programme (2005–08) will have a budget of EUR 45 million to combat illegal and harmful internet content. The new programme also covers other media, such as videos, and explicitly addresses the fight against racism, and also “spam”. It will focus more closely on end users: parents, educators and children.

Activities under the four Safer Internet plus action lines will include:

- Fighting illegal content: hotlines that enable the public to report illegal content and which pass the reports on to the appropriate body for action. The programme will fund individual hotlines and network co-ordination, and will be extended to help lines for children worried by illegal and harmful content.

- Tackling unwanted and harmful content: funding for technology that enables users to limit the amount of unwanted and harmful content they receive, or that can be used to test the effectiveness of available filters. Funding will also be available for developing better filters and promoting exchanges of information and best practice on anti-spam enforcement.

- Promoting a safer environment: the EU supports self-regulation, which offers flexibility and understanding of needs in an area combining high technology, rapid change and cross-border activity. The Commission will provide a Safer Internet Forum for national co-regulatory or self-regulatory bodies to exchange experience. 

- Awareness-raising: the Commission will support information exchange on safer internet use, particularly for personalised, interactive and mobile applications.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 11/06/2005.