Protecting and empowering children and young people online

On 12 October 2021, EIF organised the virtual debate “Protecting and empowering children and young people online”, co-hosted by MEPs Ivan Štefanec and Liesje Schreinemacher.
Five experts joined the debate, moderated by EIF Director General Maria Rosa Gibellini, to discuss how to make the online world fitter for children and which legal instruments are in place or needed in order to ensure that children are protected and empowered online:

• June Lowery-Kingston, Head of Unit, Accessibility, Multilingualism & Safer Internet, and Deputy to the Director for Data at DG CONNECT, European Commission
• Christopher Payne, Director of Digital Responsibility, Government and Public Affairs, at the LEGO Group
• Charlotte Niklasson, Director of European Affairs at Nordvision
• Alexandra Evans, Head of Safety Public Policy, Europe at TikTok
• Leanda Barrington-Leach, Head of EU Affairs at 5Rights

Digitalisation of the Health Sector

On 28 September 2021, EIF hosted a virtual debate on the ‘Digitalisation of the Health sector’ to discuss the role that the EU can play to support member states and patients, with a special focus on the EU4Health Programme, on the Commission’s strategic approach for e-health and the priorities and challenges for Europe.

The debate, hosted by MEP and EIF Steering Committee member Marina Kaljurand, was moderated by EIF Director General Maria Rosa Gibellini and featured the following experts and policymakers:

• Cristian-Silviu Busoi MEP and EIF Member, Chair of the ITRE Committee and rapporteur on the EU4Health programme
• Ioana-Maria Gligor, Head of Unit for European Reference Networks and Digital Health, DG SANTE European Commission (who joined the Q&A session)
• Wayne Miller, Director, EMEA Healthcare Practice, Zebra Technologies
• Alexander Volt, Solutions Advisor, Intellectsoft

Debate with EU Commissioner Mariya Gabriel

On 29 September 2021, EIF hosted an exchange of views with European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Mariya Gabriel.
The Commissioner shared her views on the need to create a pan-European Innovation Ecosystem, involving constant bottom-up consultations with our European Champions, without forgetting women’s potential and central role of education and research.

The exchange was hosted and moderated by MEP and EIF Steering Committee member Maria da Graça Carvalho, who asked the Commissioner 5 questions on themes that are at the heart of Commissioner Gabriel’s work.

After the exchange, the Q&A session was moderated by EIF Director General Maria Rosa Gibellini and featured the following EIF Steering Committee Members:

- Pilar del Castillo, MEP and EIF Chair
- Sabine Verheyen MEP
- Victor Negrescu MEP
- Eva Kaili MEP

EIF-GSMA High-level virtual discussion on 'Europe's Digital Transformation: Now to 2030'

On 30 June 2021, EIF and GSMA hosted the 7^th annual high-level virtual discussion on ‘Europe’s Digital Transformation: Now to 2030’ in the context of the MWC21 Barcelona, bringing together legislators, regulators, and stakeholders in the EIF and GSMA networks.

Building back Greener and more Digital

On 1 July 2021, EIF hosted the debate ‘Building back Greener and more Digital’ to discuss Digital and Green, the two building blocks of Europe’s way to recover from the Covid crisis and help other sectors and communities to become greener, more circular, more resource-efficient and net-zero.
The event, hosted by MEP and EIF member Josianne Cutajar, was moderated by EIF Director General Maria Rosa Gibellini and featured the following speakers:

• Ilias Iakovidis, PhD, Adviser on green digital transformation, DG CONNECT, European Commission
• Dr. Chris Tuppen, Visiting Professor of Smart Technologies, University Campus Suffolk
• Jyri Arponen, Senior Lead, Sustainability solutions, Sitra
• Patrick Lynch, Founder of Bioledger

#EIFasksMEPs Ep.2 - Eva Kaili MEP on Artificial Intelligence and its regulation

A new #EIFasksMEPs episode of our #EIFasksMEPs interview project is out! Eva Kaili MEP did a great job answering all our questions on "Artificial Intelligence and its regulation".

MEP Kaili is a member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and substitute of the Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence in a Digital Age, chairing the STOA Panel, and her work focuses on new technologies and particularly AI. #EIFasksMEPs aims to be an opportunity for our Political members to share views on a topic of choice, in the format of a professionally filmed interview.

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