Each year, we invite Members of the European Parliament to an #MWC deep-dive here in Barcelona. Together with the GSMA, we offer MEPs the chance to get a hands-on experience of cutting-edge technology devices, to learn about the latest trends and innovations in mobile technology and to engage with experts on the field.

We meet with representatives of key players in the sphere of technology to exchange views on how innovation and connectivity can change our lives. This year our tour was packed with many interesting demos, from AI-powered networks solutions, sustainability, 6G to Metaverse, Holograms etc.

MWC Barcelona is the largest and most influential event for the connectivity ecosystem and we look forward to be back again next year.

The past two years have been challenging and unpredictable for us all. The pandemic has pushed us to reinvent ourselves, to fully embrace the digital world in order to continue delivering value to our membership. 

Since then, we have organised over 40 virtual debates, continuing the conversation on the most important topics of the digital policy agenda with MEPs and top-level speakers from the European Commission, CEOs, industry experts and civil society. And #EIFasksMEPs, our first video interview series was born. In 2022, as soon as the covid19 pandemic will allow, we are prepared to welcome you in person at our hybrid and networking events.

Nothing would have been possible without our members' trust and engagement. This video is a tribute to the continuous support that we have received. A story of collective resilience that we wrote together. Because #WEareEIF!

On 18 February 2020, EIF hosted a lunch debate where participants discussed the interplay between encryption, data protection and law enforcement.
The debate was hosted by MEPs Patrick Breyer and Rasmus Andresen and featured the following speakers:
- Maximilian Schubert, President of EuroISPA
- Ceren Ünal, Regional Policy Manager Europe, Internet Society
- Birgitta Jónsdóttir, Internet Archive Fellow, Electronic Frontier Foundation
- Bert Hubert, Founder of PowerDNS
- Cathrin Bauer-Bulst, Acting Head of the Cybercrime Unit, DG HOME, European Commission

On 18 November, 2014 Sir Tim Berners Lee, the father of the internet, discussed the future of the internet with EIF members & friends, looking at the threats to the web’s wide-open spaces and addressing the most important question: what web do we want?

On 13 November 2019, EIF and MEP Marina Kaljurand invited MEPs, Members and friends for an exchange of views regarding the priorities and expectations for this year's Internet Governance Forum.

The debate titled "IGF 2019 preparatory meeting" featured the following speakers:

• Pearse O'Donohue, Director for the Future Networks Directorate, DG CONNECT, European Commission
• Sandra Hoferichter, Secretary General, EuroDIG
• Lina Galvez Muñoz MEP, Head of the European Parliament Delegation to the Internet Governance Forum 2019
• Florian Pennings, EU Cybersecurity Policy Manager, Microsoft

On 10 July 2018, Pilar del Castillo MEP and EIF Chair exchanged views on 'How do third countries envisage their digital agenda?' with prominent speakers and EIF members at the European Parliament in Brussels. In this #EIFAsks video MEP Pilar del Castillo, Shintaro Ogi from Europe Center, José Juan Haro from Telefonica and Praveen Paranjothi from Startup Europe India Network give their views on what should be the EU’s priority issues when engaging in digital dialogue with third countries.

On 24 April 2018, MEP Pilar del Castillo and EIF invited MEPs, EIF Members and friends, to exchange views on the impact of Internet of Things on European industries. In this EIFAsks video, MEP Pilar del Castillo, the European Commission Director for the Future Networks Directorate Pearse O'Donohue, Justin Hobbs, from Zebra Technologies and Thomas Walloschke from the Alliance for the Internet of Things Innovation discussed successes and challenges the Union faces in bringing digitalization to Europe’s traditional manufacturing industries.

On 21 March 2018, MEP Michal Boni and EIF invited MEPs, EIF Members and friends, to discuss how to ensure that digital is prioritised in the next Multiannual Financial Framework, from artificial intelligence to cyber-security and from copyright to ensuring high speed internet access. In this EIFAsks video EU Commissioner for Budget, Günther Oettinger, MEPs Jan Olbrycht (MFF co-rapporteur) and Michal Boni, and Kalin Tomov from the Bulgarian Permanent Representation, give their views on how to support Europe's digitisation through the next MFF.

On 20 March 2018, MEP Pilar del Castillo and EIF invited MEPs, EIF Members and friends, to exchange views on the proposed EU Cyber Security Act, and a much needed global approach. In this EIFAsks video, MEP Angelika Niebler (EP rapporteur on the file), the European Commission Director for Cybersecurity Despina Spanou and Ilias Chantzos from Symantec, confer upon the Commission's initiative to counteract future cyber threats and attacks.

On 6 March 2018, MEP Eva Kaili and EIF invited MEPs, EIF Members and friends to debate how to tackle hate speech and fake news while safeguarding freedom of expression. In this EIFAsks video, MEP Eva Kaili, Susan Ness (former Commissioner of the US Federal Communications Commission), Italian journalist Roberto Tallei, Ronald Eissen from the International Network Against Cyber Hate and Wout van Wijk from News Media Europe, assess if self-regulation is sufficient to address the fake news phenomenon.

On 21 February 2018, Michal Boni MEP, Head of the European Parliament delegation to IGF 2017 and EIF Steering Committee member, invited MEPs, EIF Members and friends, to reflect on the IGF programme, the process and topics of importance for the European agenda. In this EIFAsks video, MEP Michal Boni, Lora Borissova on behalf of EU Commissioner Mariya Gabriel, Lise Fuhr from ETNO, Sandra Hoferichter from EuroDIG (Europe’s regional IGF), and Chris Buckridge from RIPE NCC ponder on how to enhance IGF’s influence so it remains relevant.

On 5th Tuesday 2017, EIFonline & MEPs Michal Boni and Julie Ward invited members & friends to an exchange of views on the upcoming twelfth @intgovforum in #Geneva. In this #EIFAsks video, MEPs Julie Ward and Michal Boni -Head of the EP Delegation to IGF-, Dominique Lazanski from GSMA and Pearse O'Donohue from DG CONNECT at the European Commission, share their priorities and expectations for this year’s encounter in Geneva.

On 21 November, EIF & MEPs Pilar del Castillo and Eva Kaili hosted a debate to discuss the impact of Brexit on data flows. Disruptions could not only affect business activities whether in goods and services, but also R&D, the academic world, government lead projects and many public services. In this #EIFAsks video, MEPs Pilar del Castillo and Daniel Dalton, representatives from Vodafone and BTGroup – which heavily rely on uninterrupted data flows – and Giles Derrington from Tech UK – which represents the interests of UK tech companies, assess Britain’s options to avoid disruption on data flows in a post-Brexit scenario.

On 22 November 2017, Members of the European Parliament, EIF Members and friends met, with Roberto Viola, Director General at DG CNECT, European Commission for a mid-term review of the EU Digital Agenda. In this short interview, Roberto Viola comments on the current challenges of Digital Single Market Strategy, and the ones to come from a digital revolution that is transforming the European economy and society.

On 17 October 2017, EIF & MEP Pilar del Castillo hosted a debate on EIF’s publication ‘Re-launching the Transatlantic Partnership - The Digital Dimension’ in the European Parliament, Brussels. The report is EIF’s contribution to the project ‘Towards Transatlantic Partnership: New Horizons 2020’, initiated by the Transatlantic Policy network (TPN) in an effort to generate ideas to shape a vision for the Transatlantic Partnership in the 21st Century. In this #EIFAsks video, MEP Marietje Schaake, EIF Senior Advisor Peter Linton and Peter Olson, Chair of EIF’s Board, share their views on the realisation and priority issue areas of a transatlantic digital agenda.

On 5th September 2017, EIF and MEPs Pilar del Castillo & Michal Boni, hosted a debate on cybersecurity. The European Union has recently witnessed major security incidents impacting government systems, critical infrastructures, as well as businesses and other public and private organisations of all sizes across several countries. In this #EIFAsks video, MEPs Pilar del Castillo and Michal Boni, Dr. Hugh Thompson from Symantec and Axel Petri from Deutsche Telekom’s share their views on Europe’s main challenges in the sphere of cybersecurity.

On 25 April 2017, EIF & Pilar del Castillo MEP and EIF Chair debated on #connectedcars. Participants tackled questions such as collaboration within the telecoms industry, user expectations or the challenges for car manufacturers. In this #EIFAsks video, MEP Pilar del Castillo , European Commission official DG CONNECT Eddy Hartog , and representatives of the car, tech and telecom industries.

On 28 March 2017, EIF and Eva Kaili MEP hosted a debate to discuss how the Fintech revolution is transforming digital economics and the economy. In this #EIFAsks video, MEPs Eva Kaili, Catalin-Sorin Ivan and Neena Gill, European Commission Director General Roberto Viola DG CONNECT and representatives of the financial and technological industries share their views on wether Europe is leading or lagging in the development of Fintech technologies and rollout.

On 23 March 2017, EIF and Carlos Zorrinho MEP hosted a debate to discuss the EU pilot project WIFI4EU and how it could help close the digital divide. In this #EIFAsks video, MEP Zorrinho, representatives of the European Commission, Public Libraries and members of the technological industry discuss all aspects of the WIFI4EU initiative including funding and available technologies to make it happen.

On 8 February, MEPs Axel Voss and Michal Boni hosted a debate to explore as to whether the co-existence of the General Data Protection regulation and a revised e-privacy Directive is feasible or whether it creates unnecessary overlap and legal uncertainty. In this #EIFasks video, policy makers, industry and consumer rights representatives share their views about balancing the privacy/security conundrum.

On 25 January 2017, Pilar del Castillo MEP, EIF Chair and Head of the European Parliament Delegation to IGF, hosted a breakfast debate to reflect on the IGF programme and process, share impressions and identify topics of importance for the European agenda. EIF used this opportunity to ask the panel speakers how effective the IGF is in protecting and advancing European values and interests.The 11th Internet Governance Forum (IGF) was held last December in México. The meeting marked the first gathering of the global multistakeholder IGF community since the renewal of the IGF’s mandate for 10 years. The number of MEPs and European Commission officials taking part in the IGF was remarkable and underlines the significance of Internet Governance in Europe. 

On 24 January 2017, EIF and Pilar del Castillo MEP invited a panel of experts to talk about the most important European policy issues raised by the spread of open service platforms. The open service platforms ecosystems are a catalyser for economic opportunities and jobs. Europe is ready to lead such new technologies based on open platforms. 

On 30 November 2016, MEPs Emilian Pavel and Michal Boni invited EIF members and friends to a debate on this new phenomenon and discuss the framework for future cooperation between humans and robots. The emergence of robotics in our everyday life might have sounded, until recently, like science fiction, but it has now become part of our reality. Europe is a leading continent in the R&D of robotics and AI, however this already raises concerns related to the ethical considerations. 

On 9 November 2016, EIF and EU40 have brought 15 MEPs on a study visit to Silicon Valley. Study visit participants and EIF and EU40 members and friends met and discussed what Europe has been doing to help start-ups and scale-ups overcome their biggest challenges and what take-aways are still relevant from Silicon Valley’s famous ecosystem. In this video the panelists of the debate answer key questions: is the Silicon Valley model still relevant for Europe and what are the most important missing ingredients we should focus on?

On 8 November 2016, EIF and Michal Boni MEP hosted a panel of experts in the European Parliament to talk about the future internet connectivity needs in Europe, 5G obstacles and promises. In September 2016, the European Commission launched a plan to boost EU efforts for the deployment of 5G infrastructures and services across the Digital Single Market by 2020. Yet in Europe today we still have around 7 million homes who lack Internet connectivity. 

On 18 October 2016, the European Internet Forum and the European Energy Forum organised a joined debate at the European Parliament to look into the regulatory aspects of Smart Energy. The EU's Energy Sector is going though the digital revolution. It is hoped that the "marriage" of the Energy Sector and the Digital Market will enable Smart Energy for all Europeans, making every individual in charge of one's personal energy consumption. #EIFAsks: What should be the highest EU policy priority to help drive the uptake of Smart Energy technology?

On 28 June 2016 MEPs, EIF Members and friends met the EU Commissioner Carlos Moedas for an exchange of views on his policy priorities and future initiatives. EIF used this opportunity to have a few words with the Commissioner on the innovation and innovators in Europe and how EU policy can help them.

On 16 June 2016, EIF & Lambert van Nistelrooij MEP invited a panel of entrepreneurs to talk about what it is like to scale up in Europe. Startups have been blossoming across Europe for a while now. Some of them have become success stories, some can call themselves a “unicorn”, many of them are not European any longer because were obliged to move outside Europe and/ or give up ownership to find the money to scale up. The lagging European economy cannot be revived solely on the basis of a thriving ecosystem for startups. The EU needs to offer an environment nursing scale-ups and just replicating Silicon Valley is not an option.  Before the debate kicked-off EIF asked them what steps can be taken to improve the policy climate for the scalability of European start-ups?

On 15 June 2016, Angelika Niebler MEP invited Renate Nikolay, Head of the Cabinet of Commissioner Vera Jourova, Daniel Fesler from Baker McKenzie, and John Frank from Microsoft, to discuss what Europe needs to fully enjoy the economic advantages of data enabled transatlantic businesses, while ensuring its citizens right to privacy. In the coming days the European Commission will announce the Privacy Shield deal - an outcome of the negotiations with the US counterpart on data transfers across the Atlantic. EIF asked the panellists does the Privacy Shield as it stands solve Europe’s problem?

On 25 May 2016, Lambert van Nistelrooij, MEP and EIF Steering Committee member, invited representatives from the European Commission, Smart City of Amsterdam and industry to look deeper into the opportunities and issues around this topic. Europe is home to a small number of Smart Cities who have leveraged telecommunications technologies to optimize the way they function, reduce waste & tap whatever efficiencies are to be had from innovatively deploying ICTs. People living and working in Smart Cities not only can enjoy the benefits of convenient living but also innovate and develop new Smart Cities technologies, applicable around the globe. Before the debate started we asked the panel how can Europe take greater social and economic advantage of digital tools and technologies for the organisation of urban space and society? And this is what they had to say...

On 24 May 2016, Pilar del Castillo MEP invited civil society, industry and policy makers to address the importance of trust and cyber-security.An increasing number of cyber attacks makes us worry about our safety online. Consumers trust is crucial for the digital economy to function. EIF seized the opportunity to ask the speakers if we are gaining or losing ground in the race to contain threats to our cyber-security and this is what they had to say...

"Behind every piece of child pornography content online there is a real child suffering from sexual abuse". At the EIF breakfast debate, hosted on 27 April at the European Parliament, Nathalie Griesbeck MEP invited representatives from the Europol's Cybercrime Centre, Missing Children Europe and INHOPE, a network of 51 hotlines in 45 countries worldwide, once again to look into the issue of children safety and raise awareness about this sensitive and important issue. In this video speakers shared their views on how to keep children and youngsters safe in the online world.

At the recent Mobile World Congress EU unveiled its vision for 5G and a goal to become a global leader in 5G implementation. Shortly after the MWC (16/03/2016), EIF brought together industry and policy-makers to identify the policy and regulatory requirements needed to overcome fragmentation, foster inter-sector collaboration and make the vision for Europe a reality in a realistic time frame so that Europe does not lag behind other regions of the world. To better understand European policy makers and businesses vision for 5G, we asked them what more can be done to ensure EU's global 5G leadership position. Watch the video to see what they had to say...

On 16 October 2018, EIF hosted a lunch debate on ‘The impact of GDPR on cybersecurity and on the development of the Internet’ chaired by Peter Kouroumbashev MEP and EIF Member.

In this short highlight video, MEP Peter Kouroumbashev, Steve Purser from ENISA, Gregory Mounier of Europol and Ilias Chantzos of Symantec share their views on how GDPR has impacted cybersecurity and the development of the Internet.

On 7 November 2018, EIF hosted a breakfast debate as a preparatory meeting for the 'Internet Governance Forum (IGF)' which will take place in Paris between 12-14 of November.

In this short highlight video, MEPs Julie Ward and Miapetra Kumpula-Natri, Sandra Hoferichter from EuroDIG, MAG member Arnold van Rhijn, Olivier Bringer of the European Commission and Alessandro Gropelli from ETNO share their views on the priorities of the upcoming IGF.

On 21 November 2018, MEP Eva Kaili and EIF invited MEPs, members and friends for an exchange of views on how the EU institutions build on the current platform proposals as a stepping stone to create a cohesive European digital platform approach that can boost the economy and re-introduce trust in the online space.

On 29 November 2018, EIF had the pleasure to meet Casper Klynge, the world's first Tech Ambassador, in order to exchange views on #techplomacy, future #digital trends and geopolitical #tech trends with a focus on Europe's position.

On 5 December 2018, MEP Lambert van Nistelrooij and EIF invited MEPs, Members and friends for an exchange of views on "The growing role of social media in EU citizens' engagement and democracy".

On 6th February 2019, MEP Brando Benifei and EIF invited MEPs, members and friends for the Brussels Pre-Launch of the Startup Europe Mediterranean, a project which aims to make a significant step forward as it links together different EU priorities: startups, investment but also the strategy for the Mediterranean as a geo-strategic area with innovation at the centre of the neighbourhood policy, development and cooperation and migration.

In this short highlight video, MEP Brando Benifei, Isidro Laso-Ballesteros from the European Commission, Gianpiero Lotito of FacilityLive, Zineb Rharrasse of Startup Maroc and Rasha Tantawy of TIEC share their views on the added value that Startup Europe Mediterranean can bring to the current landscape.

In 2019 EIF invited members to exchange views on how the EU can safeguard democracy in the Digital Age.
The debate, titled "Digitization and the defense of democracy", was chaired by MEP Roza Grafin von Thun und Hohenstein and featured the following speakers:

• Trevor Davis, Founder and CEO of CounterAction and Research Professor at George Washington Unviersity
• Mikko Salo, Founder of FactBar, Media Innovator and EU Advisor to LUT University
• Marisa Jimenez Martin, Director of Public Policy and Deputy Head of EU Affairs, Facebook
• Paolo Cesarini, Head of Unit, Media Convergence and Social Media, DG CONNECT, European Commission

On 24 September 2019, Pilar del Castillo MEP and EIF invited members to kick off the new parliamentary season by discussing the "Top 10 Digital Trends that will shape Europe's future and demand Political Leadership".

In this short highlight video, MEP del Castillo, Roberto Viola of the European Commission and Jim Cloos from the EU Council share their views on EU's digital policy priorities.

In this video, some of our leading MEPs explain what EIF is invite Members of the European Parliament interested in digital policy topics to join EIF, "one of Brussels' most important fora for debate".