The European Antibullying Network (EAN) Presents a Declaration to the European Parliament to Address School Cyberbullying

Brussels, November 18th, 2025 – The European Antibullying Network (EAN), in collaboration with the European Parliament's Intergroup on Child Rights, today co-hosted a half-day event addressing the critical challenge of "digital wellbeing, cybercrime, and cyberbullying prevention." This issue, stemming from children's overexposure to digital devices, poses significant risks to cognitive development and disrupts school and family life. With a large fraction of school-age children exposed to cyberbullying—a leading cause of child suicide—the event underscored the urgent need for action.

During the meeting, EAN's member organizations from across Europe shared insights and policy recommendations, fostering a productive dialogue with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), including:

• Emilio Puccio, Secretary General of the Child Rights Intergroup
• Maria Guzenina, MEP, Vice-Chair of the Intergroup
• Brando Benifei, MEP, Vice-Chair of the Intergroup

The discussion centered on five key areas:

1. Media Education & Risk Prevention:Integrating digital literacy into curricula to build resilience
2. European Educational Measures:Coordinating policies to promote media education from an early age
3. Teacher & Parent Training:Enhancing digital competence and safe technology use guidance
4. School Device Policies:Evaluating restrictions and advocating balanced, inclusive approaches
5. Whole-School & Community Approach:Engaging schools, families, and students in collaborative prevention strategies

The dialogue resulted in concrete recommendations aimed at a community-wide response. Key conclusions include:

• Organizing specialized training courses for teachers and workshops for parents on digital supervision
• Establishing school support units to foster peer networks and guide students on responsible digital behavior
• Formally declaring a "European Day Against Cyberbullying" to raise societal awareness

 You can find the Joint Declaration here

The meeting, attended by representatives of the European Commission, organizations such as Child Helpline International, European Schoolnet, Victim Support Europe and Missing Children Europe, alongside experts and academics, concluded with EAN presenting its proposal for a joint declaration on school cyberbullying.

About the European Antibullying Netwok (EAN)                .                     
The European Antibullying Network (EAN) is a pan-European network of organizations dedicated to preventing bullying and cyberbullying. It fosters collaboration, knowledge exchange, and coordinated policy action to ensure the well-being and digital safety of children and young people across Europe.