Brussels, 06/02/2004 (Agence Europe) - The EU Safer Internet Day took place on Friday throughout Europe. The event focuses on children's rights to a safer Internet within the information society as part of the European Commission's Safer Internet Programme. Demonstrations organised, all of which brought together actors of public and private sectors as well as the voluntary sectors, include: - prize-awarding ceremonies in Germany and the Netherlands within poster campaigns intended for children, the launching of an educational programme for a safer Internet and a video in Ireland, and the presentation by children of a Charter of Internet Rights to the members of the Spanish Parliament. In a press release, the European Commission stresses that "safer Internet project members have contributed to several remarkable achievements". Thus, last October, a worldwide child-porn ring was dismantled following a tip from the Internet hotline association, INHOPE. In November 2003, ICRAplus, the new Internet Content Rating Association content filtering platform, was launched. Commenting on the event, the European Commissioner responsible for the Information Society, said: "Ensuring that people feel safe using the Internet and know that it is safe for their children is crucial to getting the Internet into every home and business across the Union". Erkki Liikanen added that "the Safer Internet Programme shows how small scale but focused action can have a big impact in boosting confidence". He stressed that "the Safer Internet Day marks these successes". He nonetheless admitted that "we must also recognise that much more needs to be done to build awareness. According to an upcoming Eurobarometer survey, almost 60% of Europeans do not know where or to whom they can report illegal and harmful content on the Internet so that it can be removed from the Internet".