analyse the role of online platforms such as search engines, social media etc., in the digital single market and assess how to tackle illegal content.

While the obligations set out in this directive do not extend to key providers of information society services, as defined in Directive 98/34/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 June 1998 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations and of rules on Information Society services, which underpin downstream information society services or on-line activities, such as e-commerce platforms, Internet payment gateways, social networks, search engines, cloud computing services in general or application stores, these may, on a voluntary basis, inform the competent au ...[+++]thority or single point of contact of those network security incidents they deem appropriate, and the competent authority or the single point of contact should, if reasonably possible, present the market operators that informed of the incident with strategically analysed information that will help overcome the security threat.

12. Notes that KSA has, reportedly, the highest ratio of Twitter users in the world indicating the strong role of internet-based social networks in the country and the increasing use of the internet and social networks among women; calls on the KSA authorities to allow independent press and media and ensure freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly for all inhabitants of KSA; regrets the repression of activists and protesters when they demonstrate peacefully; stresses that the peaceful advocacy of basic legal rights or making critical remarks using social media are expressions of an indispensable right, as Parliament ha ...[+++]s stressed in its report on digital freedom; emphasises that freedom of the press and media, both online and offline, is essential in a free society and forms a crucial check on power;

46. Stresses the need for journalists and media professionals to remain alert to developments in their ever-changing professions and to take advantage of the possibilities offered by social networks, which are likely to enable them to expand their knowledge networks and facilitate what could be called ‘web monitoring’; observes with interest that, despite the irreversible emergence of social networks, journalism has kept its key role in news broadcasting, since journalists use these highly diverse networks to carry out in-depth resea ...[+++]rch and check facts, thus giving rise to a new model of participatory journalism and furthering the dissemination of information;

51. Agrees with the Commission that "cluster policy" is an important part of Member States" innovation policies and calls on actors, particularly at regional and local levels, to promote clusters, as well as innovation and technology centres, in urban centres and rural areas, in such a way that a balance can be reached between different regions; encourages the Member States to promote, in their countries, the creation of "knowledge regions" and "clusters" and EU-wide and cross-border cooperation, and also to promote cooperation with experts from third countries; stresses in this context the importance of creating governance structures so as to improve cooperation between different actors in a cluster and asks for clusters to be directed a ...[+++]lso to cross-border activities, building notably on the experience of Euroregions, which possess established cross-border structures and social networks; believes that in this context EUREKA Clusters and umbrellas could be consulted and involved;

51. Agrees with the Commission that "cluster policy" is an important part of Member States" innovation policies and calls on actors, particularly at regional and local levels, to promote clusters, as well as innovation and technology centres, in urban centres and rural areas, in such a way that a balance can be reached between different regions; encourages the Member States to promote, in their countries, the creation of "knowledge regions" and "clusters" and EU-wide and cross-border cooperation, and also to promote cooperation with experts from third countries; stresses in this context the importance of creating governance structures so as to improve cooperation between different actors in a cluster and asks for clusters to be directed a ...[+++]lso to cross-border activities, building notably on the experience of Euroregions, which possess established cross-border structures and social networks; believes that in this context EUREKA Clusters and umbrellas could be consulted and involved;