Debate contributions by Alex AGIUS SALIBA

Ms President, Finally, after twenty months this parliament has risen from sleep and we have the title that suits the Israeli State: genocide, shootings, killings of innocent people. Even now, we are seeing a situation where refugees who are queuing to be given a piece of bread, to be given a bottle of water, are also being killed while waiting for food. This is unacceptable and now is the time after the European Commission liked to hide its own report, which was indicating that this is genocide, that war crimes have been committed. Now is the time to take action. And yes, action can be taken, action can be taken, first and foremost, to put an end to the Association Agreement as far as possible, on the basis of Article 2, in order to impose the strongest sanctions on this State committing genocide and ultimately to stop this parliament, among others, granting red carpet treatment to those who are part of the government of Netanyahu, a government that is directly associated with genocide and war crimes. Let's get up from sleep. Let's take a look at these victims who are on a daily basis...

Ms President, Commissioner, when Europe found itself in an increpative position when the pandemic broke out, in this room we chose to make the necessary investments. The European Fund to recover from Covid has made it possible for our Member States to invest billions in our future, especially when it comes to the digital and environmental transitions. However, we must also be a bit critical of the results. Despite the fact that one fifth of investments must be allocated to the digital transition. Europe remains dependent on foreign technologies, so that society, the economy and even public services can function. When Draghi talks about competitiveness and Letta about innovation, we must listen more to the focus of investment in digital infrastructures. The results of the recovery and resilience fund are mixed and the digital divide between Member States is still present. That is why we are advocating with the European Commission to take stock of the experience gained in designing the new programme for our digital future. A digital sovereignty fund that finances technologies that make us resilient.

Ms President, first of all a message to the far-right colleagues: child abuse is not committed on the basis of sexual orientation, child abuse is, unfortunately, committed by straight persons and even persons of different sexual orientations. That is, let's not try, we do not try to throw an ugly shadow on an important minority part of our society. As a father, it is one of the most worrying things that tomorrow can see my daughter be abused in a world in which ultimately our children feel comfortable to interact. But unfortunately, online sexual abuse is on the rise. Until yesterday, I was confronted with a case of an 11-year-old girl who was threatened with pornographic material on her, which was created with artificial intelligence and so today the responsibilities on us even based on the evolution of technology are far greater than we are. And I think that this directive must place more responsibility on Big Tech so that they are also responsible for the material that is generated and promoted on their platforms. It is important, it is vital that in these cases which have no border of any kind, it is important to have, so more coordination and so it is vital that we continue this work on this directive and see that as a European Parliament we all speak with one voice.

I would like to start by sending first and foremost a message to far right colleague Anderson, who has just spoken: or is living in a parallel world, and has no idea of the enormous mental health problems our citizens are facing. Forty-six percent of European citizens, in the latest Eurobarometer survey, confirmed that they are facing mental health problems and so it is more urgent than ever that the European Commission – and therefore we must give our full support to the European Commission – needs to legislate today before tomorrow the right of, among others,right to disconnect, to finally see that this disconnect, which is so important and so important, is so important that in the end, the fundamental rights of our workers to maximum working time, the minimum rest time that they should enjoy are enjoyed with their families, their loved ones, are enjoyed in the world that today the world of work has changed, and so in turn one message to the Vice-President of the European Commission: will find our full support after all the discussions held with the social partners, after this European Parliament has already approved the legislation of theright to disconnect, to make this right a reality for all European workers.

Mr President, Vice-President of the Commission, It is important for us always, when talking about the European Single Market, to keep in mind first and foremost the interests of European consumers, and therefore as a group of Socialists and Democrats, we have always pushed forward the idea, especially during the discussions on the European Digital Services Act, of having to level playing field: what is illegal on an offline basis should also be illegal on an online basis. But we've got level playing field in European regulations we do not achieve it by burdening our consumers, our most vulnerable consumers with more burdens. And here I am also referring to the intention, on the part of the European Commission, to burden consumers – and I say the most vulnerable consumers, the least able consumers, who choose to shop online from outside the European Union – with additional burdens. Additional weights are not the solution. The solution is for distributors, producers outside the European Union, who are using platforms to directly charge European consumers, to make the same regulations applicable to European producers and distributors. Only then will we be able to protect first and foremost the interests of our consumers, for the health and safety of the most vulnerable consumers on our market, but also at the same time, we will be able to protect the interests of European industries, not by burdening our consumers with exceptional extra burdens. This is not the solution.

Mr President, The European single market remains one of the most important elements in the European project for our citizens. But it is important that this market continues to evolve, its rules continue to evolve, so that ultimately we can see that the realities of the most bordering Member States, islands, these same rules are also working in their favour. And here I would also like to talk about the different particular realities that small Member States such as Malta are facing, especially because of price increases, inflation of the most essential products in this common market. And so it is important to make sure that we have more flexibility when it comes to European single market regulations so that small and island Member States can ultimately benefit from this right, the right of movement and the freedom of movement for goods and services, which ultimately benefits much larger countries than us. But at the end of the day it is also essential to make sure that we have stricter rules when it comes also to the import of products outside the European Union. In a market where it is going more on an online basis than in traditional shops it is important to see that we have the same kind of rules and the same kind of rights for consumers buying on an online basis and those buying on an offline basis. But we can never do this by burdening our consumers with more burdens, especially financial burdens.

Madam President, within the European Union, all tech platforms need to respect the rules that we have democratically enacted. When it comes to our privacy and our personal data the GDPR has been the cornerstone of the EU's leading role when it comes to regulating the online world. However, rules are only strong when they are properly enforced, and that is why we are happy to see that the Irish Data Protection Authority took action against TikTok – and when we are speaking of TikTok, we are speaking of a platform that is being used daily by millions of European children. We have to go by what they published so far. But we have the fullest confidence in the diligent process that led to the decision of the independent authority. It cannot be that the personal data of EU citizens ends up in the hands of the Chinese Government. Our data may not be transferred outside the EU unless the Commission takes a decision on the adequacy of the data protection in a third country, or appropriate safeguards are guaranteed for China. I believe that no such decision was taken, and we cannot expect such a decision to come any time soon, when the way it deals with personal data in its domestic approach is totally different from how we deal with data based on our values. The fact that TikTok did not offer full transparency on the transfer of data and submitted wrong information to the inquiry makes the matters worse. A fine of EUR 530 million is hefty and should be a deterrent for TikTok, but the decision of the Data Protection Authority to bring its data processing into line with the GDPR within six months is the most important element today. We need to be vigilant and if in six months TikTok is still not compliant with Europe's data rules, more extreme enforcement measures should be taken. Either TikTok abides by our rules and stops the transfer of data to China completely, or it should be banned from operating or sold to a new entity that is willing to keep the personal data in Europe.

Mr President, can I make a point of order because some misconceptions have been repeated by our colleague here? As already held in 2022, applicants from Belarus and Russia have stopped both pending applications and applications...

Mr President, Malta will respect the judgement of the European Court. A ruling that is still strange because it is contrary to the opinion of Irish Attorney General Collins who also said last October that there is no case against Malta. A ruling also contradicting the European Commission's view that in January 2014 the Maltese investor citizenship scheme is not contrary to the Treaties of the European Union. It is clear, however, that today's discussion is misguided from the beginning to the end and let me tell you why. Firstly, since March 2022, all applications of Russian citizens and Belarus have been suspended. Therefore, I cannot understand the title of today's discussion that this scheme has been used by Malta to evade sanctions against Russia. I also wonder how Austria, a Member State with a scheme identical to the Maltese one, was completely left out of the discussion. I wonder how Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain that all have investor residence schemes can run similar schemes, but vis-à-vis Malta because there are enthusiasts, all the winds arise. We will follow the Court's decision to have a continued wealth-free scheme, because Malta has nothing less than other Member States.

Mr President, our digital future is not a game, this is not a race we can win against China or the United States. We want to build a digital world where our society, our economies flourish, based on European values and respecting privacy laws, towards consumer protection laws. The problems we face are that Europe is too dependent on other continents, on foreign Big Tech, the digital infrastructures, essential that our citizens use on a daily basis. We must urgently recuperate and invest, in a European digital ecosystem, with a European technology enterprise working for alternative solutions across all layers of digital technology; from programs on mobile phones to computers to hardware, to cloud infrastructure. We have the talent, but we have to scale up the capacity. Expecting European capital markets to provide entrepreneurial capital on the Silicon Valley model is just a dream. We have to find our way. If we want to take digital sovereignty seriously, we want a European digital sovereignty fund that corresponds to our ambitions, which corresponds to our values. It is useless to speak of resilience when we remain dependent on technology coming from outside the European continent. Let's invest seriously today before tomorrow.

Ms President, today the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is catastrophic. We have seen, up to the last few hours, a mass grave that included fifteen humanitarian workers killed by the Israeli regime. This is not just a tragedy, but a rampant violation of international law. The International Court of Justice has made it clear that every state around the world must intervene in order to stop genocide and ensure accountability for war crimes. And so today is an occasion where we have the Commission, the President of the European Parliament and the President of the Council who call on them to take urgent action to put an end first and foremost to the association agreement between the European Union and Israel, to impose sanctions and to support the reconstruction plan in Gaza. The Palestinian people have already suffered for decades. We cannot be silent in the face of this genocide. This is a moral test for us and for the values we embrace. The European Union must act now for the sake of justice, the exercise of international law and above all humanity.

Mr President, if we want the European project to remain relevant we must be sure that the European market works fairly in favour of all consumers. In a world where platform shopping continues to grow, there is a need to have rules that give consumers the same rights to shop online as those who shop physically in shops across the same Union. We need to protect our children with strong legislation so that toys entering from outside the European Union are of the same level as those produced within the European Union. We need to fight practices such as dynamic pricing, where thousands of consumers every day buying playing or football tickets or music concerts are being stolen. There is a need for a European market that fights inflation in essential food products and energy products, without which we will not pass. It cannot be that the rigidity of the European market means that in small Member States and islands such as Malta we end up with a single market that works in favour of a few big importers and against the common good of our citizens. It is necessary, today before tomorrow, to extend the freedoms of the European movement for medicinal products – it cannot be that the Maltese and Gozitan patient continues to pay the price of Brexit, as the system of fragmented legislation and registration of medicinal products has continued to lead to the further exclusion of small Member States. There is a need for stronger, more ambitious legislation on the rights of consumers to book their holidays, so we need to have a package travel law that works in favour of our consumers. Let's work together towards a European market that works for the rights of the many and not the few.

Mr President, digital infrastructure has become as important as traditional infrastructure such as our bridges and roads. And I come from Malta, a small Member State, an island, I am more aware of the importance of this infrastructure, especially for thecables submarine internet, which are equally crucial for the functioning of the lives of our citizens and critical infrastructure in every Member State. And so I think it is time for the experiment we have done with the setting up of the agency ENISA, to ensure that we have coordination when it comes to cybersecurity, cybersecurity, it would also extend to this critical infrastructure by either setting up a separate agency, or giving ENISA more and more expertise to ensure that we have more coordination, more protection, on this infrastructure. In addition, we need to further strengthen resilience and therefore, the Digital Sovereignty Fund should be set up as soon as possible.

Mr President, Mental health problems among young people, among our children are a very serious problem. It is a problem that is making suicides the second largest cause of death among young people across the European Union. However, I believe that as a European Union, it is important to focus more on prevention. And today we had a golden opportunity as a European Union, in theCommission Working Programme and its presentation, in order to take the first step. The Internal Market Committee in the European Parliament has, during the past legislative term, prepared a report on theaddictive designs platforms. Something that is intrinsically affecting so many and so many young people, whether it's about cyberbullying But even depression, burnouts, which are something that is directly linked to the enormous time our young people are spending on an online basis. And so today we had an opportunity, as we called several times in different committees, for the European Parliament and the European Commission to take the first action with thedigital fairness act. Unfortunately, because of thedigital fairness act nor theright to disconnect, two important legislations to protect mental health, did not see the sunlight. A great misfortune.

Thank you Mr President, What are the real factors that make the European economy more competitive? Is it the fact that we are the cheapest continent? No, Europe is built on quality products, produced by qualified workers working in the best conditions. We can look at cutting red tape, reducing red tape in order to reduce a number of burdens on companies. It is not a bad thing, but to go in a direction where we lower and restore our standards in order to safeguard competitiveness, where we are grappling with ourselves. Firstly, because it is not true that regulations make Europe less competitive. Our industry needs to have reliable governance and even clear regulations. And this week I was amazed to hear Commission Vice-President Henna Virkkunen talking about reversing the digital standards we have worked so hard for over the past years. It is something, and we were speaking in this same plenary a month ago, where we started to say that we have attacks coming from other continents. It is something that is showing the attacks not only come from the US and Trump's presidency, but are unfortunately also coming internally and so it is essential that we continue to work on the best conditions for our workers, because the social compass remains that compass that makes us really different from others and more competitive. We need to work towards a directive on AI in workplaces and a directive on the right to disconnect implemented as soon as possible. Let's invest in our economies and not reduce conditions.... (the Chair interrupted the speaker)

Madam President, first of all, I would like to speak about the disrespect shown today in front of this House when we were treated – and it was clearly stated by the Commission – as not ‘high-level’ enough. And I ask the Commission, what is 'high-level' enough for the President of the Commission? Today I would like to talk about the ambition we need as a European Commission and also as a European Parliament. It's a feeling that we're totally missing out on this program that has just been presented to us. First of all, important initiatives that have been totally sidelined and do not appear entirely anywhere in this plan. First of all, a month ago we were here in this plenary talking about the importance of having protection for digital legislation at European level. What was the result? Two days ago we saw the Vice-President of the European Commission, Virkkunen, tell us that she should remove the red tape from legislation that this Parliament has just approved in the past legislature. AI Act, DSA, DMA: that is how the European Commission will be protecting our digital and other legislation: Right to disconnect, the European social model that is totally missing from this plan. We heard the right to disconnect be approved in this Parliament, about four years ago. We saw him introduced into the Charter of Digital Rights presented by the European Commission, we also saw him humbly in the State of the Union, in the letter given to the visitor, but once again he is totally missing. This shows that the European Commission is completely disconnected from our citizens.

Today is the first day of Trump's second presidency. While pledging a golden era for the United States, it must make this achievement by placing America first and foremost, also on the basis that it plagues our rights Europeans. Its approach to negotiations is either to swallow or to swallow. It places the health exhibition on cooperation across the Atlantic. The Commission must be prepared for this behaviour and must demonstrate the economic strength of the European Union as the largest economic market in the world. American Big Tech companies and their billionaire owners need access to our markets to make money. Let's not let them make money at the expense of our citizens, our democracy. We cannot throw away our reputation as an advanced world force in technology legislation. The rules of the Digital Services Act and other measures are not an exchange tool nor an exchange tool, investigations into X, Meta, Apple and other giants. The Commission must show strength and resist the pressure it will face for the interests of technology oligarchies. We either fight back or throw away weapons. We socialists and democrats have made our choice.

Madam President, when we saw Musk walking into the Twitter office with a sink two years ago, did we expect things to escalate so quickly? It is sinking in that tech billionaires going rogue pose an existential threat to democracy in Europe. Meta's Zuckerberg has joined in and urged the newly inaugurated Trump to force the EU to roll back European rules. We cannot accept these provocations and interferences with democratic processes when Musk uses X to support the far‑right AfD and algorithms are tweaked to spread disinformation in the process. The silence from the European Commission and the lack of appropriate reaction have been deafening. In this game with bullies from the other side of the Atlantic, we must show strength and determination. We would be making a fool of ourselves if, after spending the last five years creating a digital acquis, we did not even sovereignly enforce the common European rules when the first difficulties arose. Investigations have been launched into X and other platforms, but none have been concluded. We have penalties, up to 6 % of the global revenue, but to be credible, these should be applied more swiftly. The announced Commission's European Democracy Shield looks ridiculous if they didn't apply existing European rules. Besides defending fact‑checking, we should also invest in fact‑telling. We cannot rely on US tech oligarchs to provide us with platforms for trustworthy information. We need to invest in alternative digital infrastructure in Europe, a Eurostack with an EU‑made and democracy‑proof alternative for social networking platforms. European citizens deserve a safe digital public space where quality journalism can find its place.

Madam President, in recent years, TikTok has been transformed from a simple app into the fastest-growing social network in the world, particularly amongst young people. It has become a space where millions of voices are heard. Still, it has also been a breeding ground for anti-democratic and anti-EU narratives – a place to instigate disinformation campaigns and political opinions that undermine the very foundations of our democracies. What happened in Romania is another example of how malicious actors can easily manipulate social media platforms, such as TikTok or X, to distort public perceptions and undermine the democratic processes within our Member States. If not addressed now, this will not be an isolated case. It could happen at any moment. It can happen anywhere, and will have a lasting impact on the health of our democracies, not just in Romania, but across Europe and across the rest of the world. TikTok itself does not allow for paid political advertising, yet someone was paying for the political ads in Romania. Not to mention that their ownership and close coordination with third-country governments and politicians raises serious concerns about their political affiliations. How TikTok will handle the issues of disinformation, fake accounts, data privacy and manipulation of young people on their network is no trivial matter. They have a legal and a moral obligation to comply with the DSA, preserve the integrity of elections, and protect democratic values. While the Commission's efforts are commendable, they are not sufficient. The urgency of the situation demands immediate and decisive action. If we want TikTok and X to take the responsibilities under the DSA seriously, the Commission should immediately use all the available tools under the DSA. If this is not enough, then we need to discuss whether platforms that do not follow our rules should be allowed or not to offer their services in a union that they don't respect. There is no time to waste. The future of social media – and indeed the future of democracy itself – hangs in the balance. The consequences of inaction are too grave to ignore.

Mrs President, it seems that as a Parliament we are all on the same line when it comes to the importance of transparency, when it comes to the importance of having more accountability in the European institutions. And in the end, all the groups have delivered a message, today, that they are all looking forward to having tomorrow in the important vote that we will have here in the European Parliament, a continuation of the great work that the Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly has done over the past years. The new Ombudsman should not only do and carry out what the present Ombudsman has done, but should also see that his work is related to new challenges, to situations that are changing very rapidly here on a European basis in the way the institutions work so that we can combat conflicts of interest, we can enforce our standards more strongly, but also by seeing that the Ombudsman's office continues to serve as that bridge, an important bridge between citizens and the European institutions. So tomorrow is a very important day, not only because we will be approving Emily O'Reilly's last work report after eleven years, but also because we will be choosing us, and we have this opportunity and luck to choose the successor who will occupy this very important position. A position which, as I have already said, is important so that among others we also see that the rights of persons with disabilities on a European basis are respected and these rights are no longer just beautiful written rights on paper. And so I appeal to all of you, in the choice you will be making tomorrow, to keep in mind the work Emily O'Reilly has done and to make the right choice to ensure that accountability and transparency on a European basis continue to be strengthened.

Madam President, Madam Ombudsman, colleagues, first of all, let me begin by expressing my gratitude to the shadow rapporteurs for their constructive collaboration and also commitment on working together on this very important report. I would also like to commend the remarkable work of Ms Emily O'Reilly and her team. The importance of the European Ombudsman role in protecting citizens' rights and strengthening public confidence in all EU institutions cannot be emphasised enough. Over the past eleven years, O'Reilly and her office have done an outstanding job in enhancing transparency, enhancing accountability, enhancing the effectiveness of the EU's administration. In my report, I address a number of issues and highlight the work of the Ombudsman for the past year. First of all, the Commission's maladministration due to systemic and significant delays in processing requests for public access to documents is – and remains – a key concern. I stress in my report that such documents may be in written form or paper or stored electronically. I also suggest in my report to revise Regulation 1049/2001 on public access to documents, and recall several instances where the Commission failed to grant access. For instance, regarding the EU's soil, forest and climate adaptation strategies or exchange of text messages between the Commission President and the CEO of a pharmaceutical company. The report stresses the importance of respecting fundamental rights in migration-related actions. It emphasises the obligations of all EU institutions, all EU bodies, all EU agencies to uphold human rights and fundamental freedoms. In this context, the report notes the Commission's efforts to conduct fundamental rights impact assessment for EU-funded migration management facilities. The Parliament's response to Qatargate, particularly the new Code of Conduct for Members of the European Parliament on integrity and transparency, underscores the need for its proper implementation and monitoring. I stress the importance of the Parliament and the Commission consistently paying close attention to direct and indirect lobbying activities in order to identify gaps and weaknesses that could compromise transparency, that could compromise accountability. The report highlights the risk of conflicts of interest arising from 'revolving door' cases, where senior staff of EU institutions or bodies transition to the private sector. It underscores the need of the highest ethical standards, including transparency and public accountability. Furthermore, the report raises concerns about the Commission's interactions with the tobacco industry. Transparency and functioning in EPSO selection procedures are vital to ensure a fair and inclusive recruitment process, which is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the EU's institutions. The report urges selection tests when it comes to addressing EPSO issues and also ensuring that technical requirements do not disadvantage candidates. The European Accessibility Act, adopted in 2019, was a vital step towards improving the life of 87 million persons with disabilities, facilitating access to essential services like transport, banking, computers, television, e-books and online shops. Yet, despite the 2022 deadline, Member States have failed to fully transpose it. Delays confirm the ongoing infringements that we have. The violation of EU law undermines disability rights. I call on the Ombudsman to prioritise this crucial issue with the UNCRPD framework to resolve it as a matter of priority. Last but not least, I am proud to stress that during the committee vote, the report received an overwhelming majority supported by all political groups. This reflects our shared commitment to enhancing the efficiency and the transparency of all EU institutions, bodies and agencies for the benefit of all our citizens.

Ms President, as we celebrate the 35th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on children, let us remember that children are not only the future but our present. Children are active members of our society and are formed according to the world we create around them. The European Union has made giant strides in advancing children's rights, and I congratulate the Maltese Commissioner Glenn Micallef for his commitment to build on these foundations. Its commitment to intergenerational justice, child safety in the digital world, the fight against cyberbullying are crucial in a world more dependent on technologies. However, strong strategies are not enough. The strategies need funding, implementation and should be executed. We must increasingly engage in ensuring free and accessible education for all, fighting poverty and prioritising children's mental health and well-being in the digital sphere. Together we must continue to put the rights of the child at the centre of European Union policy and ensure that the decisions taken today create a better and safer future for future generations. Children's voices must be heard. Their needs must be prioritised and their rights must always be safeguarded. Let us act urgently, committing ourselves to creating a Europe where every child has the same success.

I am proud that the next college will have a Maltese Commissioner with a portfolio that reflects our progressive policy priorities, a unique role that will bring new ideas and perspectives to the table. Malta and Europe will have not only the youngest ever Commissioner in charge of the youth portfolio but also the first European Commissioner for intergenerational justice who will speak on behalf of present and future generations. The Maltese Commissioner will play an important role in engaging with young people in order to give them a voice in their future. It will play a role in driving forward a priority, which is an important priority for our long-standing political group, that of putting young people at the centre of the European Union's agenda and policy-making. It will also work to protect the youngest members of society – our children – by implementing the European Union Strategy on the Rights of the Child, a crucial step in ensuring their well-being and future. Last but not least, it will put culture, sport, mental health and cyberbullying at the centre of its portfolio, ensuring that these important aspects of our society are given the attention and resources they deserve. Glenn congratulations, congratulations to the whole Commission.

Madam President, we must act now, for Europe and also for European people. More than ever, in the current challenging geopolitical context, we need stability, a properly functioning Commission and progressive European agenda and cooperation.

Madam President, what is illegal offline should be illegal online. Tech firms often use every dirty trick that they can think of to maximise their profits and keep their audience hooked through sensationalist and harmful content. Unfortunately, violent extremists are using the same tricks, and with predatory algorithms, troll farms and bots spewing misinformation and disinformation, catchy memes and short clips are finding ways to recruit, socialise and target young people that are particularly vulnerable to online propaganda, hate speech and violent content. The problem is not a new one, yet for many years we have treated the web as the digital Wild West, where everything was allowed. To change this, we must ensure that companies running social media platforms are not exploitative and do not cause harm, and that they keep their services safe and free from hate speech, misinformation and malicious algorithmic activities. To this end, we need to properly enforce the legislation already in place, demand results and impose larger sanctions on tech giants that fall short. Second, we need media and digital competences enshrined to all educational levels and for all generations. This will help young people, in particular, to develop critical‑thinking skills and build resilience to violent, extremist and terrorist content online. Young people need to know their rights, distinguish facts from opinions, understand how societies work and should work, the value of privacy and the protection of their personal data, and how technologies and social media can be manipulated, and how to safeguard themselves against it. Last but not least, we need to address the root causes of radicalisation, since there is no single cause or pathway into radicalisation and violent extremism. The digital technologies might be a facilitator, but they are rarely the cause. Radicalisation doesn't happen overnight and, as a community, we all have a crucial role to play in ensuring our young people remain safe.