In February 2008 the European Commission (EC) adopted a Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Multiannual Community Programme on Protecting Children Using the Internet and Other Communication Technologies - COM (2008) 106. It aims at ensuring the continuation and expansion of the activities under the Safer Internet Action Plan (1999–2004) and the Safer Internet (1999-2005) and Safer Internet plus (2005-2008) programmes, which are seen as a success in the development and implementation of a Pan-European policy for stimulating the use of the Internet by children and fighting the illegal and harmful content therein.
This policy brief presents the main points of the proposed Decision, the achievements of the public-private partnerships in Bulgaria under the previous two EU programmes on Safer Internet, as well as the recommendations of the experts of the Center for the Study of Democracy and the Applied Research and Communications Fund as to Bulgaria’s position on the proposed Decision and the legislative and practical measures, which the country may undertake to further promote safer use and counteraction of crimes and offences on the Internet.
