Sorin Mierlea, President of InfoCons Consumer Protection, participates as a speaker at the European Conference “Mental Health – Mental Health Prevention in the Digital Era in Europe”
Today, March 24, 2026, between 10:00 AM and 3:30 PM, the European Parliament in Brussels (Library, Spinelli 5D) is hosting the European Conference “Mental Health – Mental Health Prevention in the Digital Era in Europe.”
Sorin Mierlea, President of InfoCons Consumer Protection, is participating as a speaker at this conference, within the panel dedicated to European and National Perspectives in the field.
Event Objectives
– Promote mental health prevention as a strategic priority at European level.
– Protect children and adolescents in the digital environment.
– Analyse the risks associated with the use of AI companion chatbots.
– Support the responsible use of digital tools for prevention and early intervention.
– Strengthen the role of human expertise in mental health.
– Support the effective enforcement of EU legislation (DSA, AI Act).
– Facilitate cooperation between European institutions, Member States and experts.
– Protect children and adolescents in the digital environment.
– Analyse the risks associated with the use of AI companion chatbots.
– Support the responsible use of digital tools for prevention and early intervention.
– Strengthen the role of human expertise in mental health.
– Support the effective enforcement of EU legislation (DSA, AI Act).
– Facilitate cooperation between European institutions, Member States and experts.
Mental health represents one of the most signifi cant public health challenges at the level of the European Union, with a direct impact on individual well-being, social cohesion, economic productivity and the sustainability of healthcare systems.
According to data from the World Health Organization, nearly one in six European citizens experiences a mental health condition, while depression and anxiety remain among the leading causes of disability. Adolescents and young people constitute a particularly vulnerable group, especially in the context of intensive digital environment use.
In this context, prevention and early intervention become essential. The rapid development of digital tools and artifi cial intelligence brings signifi cant opportunities, but also real risks, particularly when technology is used without ethical safeguards, without effective mechanisms for the protection of minors, and without a clear distinction from qualifi ed human psychological support.
Recent cases highlighted at European level regarding the impact of AI companion chatbots on adolescents’ mental health underline the need for a responsible approach, based on the protection of minors, fi rm enforcement of European digital legislation and the integration of technology exclusively as a tool for prevention, education and access — not as a substitute for human relationships.
Official Agenda
10:00 – 10:20 – Official Opening
Ștefan Mușoiu – Member of the European Parliament
Andreea Marin – Moderator
10:20 – 10:50 – European and National Perspectives
- Roxana Mînzatu – Executive Vice-President for People, Skills and Preparedness, European Commission
- Victor Negrescu – Vice-President of the European Parliament
- Alexandru Rogobete – Minister of Health, Government of Romania
- Vasile Dîncu – Member of the European Parliament
- Andi Cristea – Member of the European Parliament
- Adrian George Axinia – Member of the European Parliament
- Brando Benifei – Member of the European Parliament; Co-rapporteur for the AI Act
- Iulia Matei – Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Romania to the European Union
- Andreea Păstârnac – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania to the Kingdom of Belgium
- Sabina Iosub – Journalist, Antena 3 CNN
- Teodora Preoteasa – Director for European Funds Administration
- Sorin Mierlea – President of InfoCons European Consumers Protection
10:50 – 11:00 – Organizers’ Intervention – Vision and Digital Innovation
- Adrian Branco Raicovici – Founder & CEO, AIGENCY TECHSOLUTION S.R.L.
- Adrian Ioan Buda – Co-founder & CMO, AIGENCY TECHSOLUTION S.R.L.
PANEL I – Academic Leadership and Digital Transformation in Mental Health
- Prof. Ana Maria Alexandra Stănescu, MD, PhD – National Representative of Romania to the European General Practice Research Network; Head of Family Medicine, “Dr. Carol Davila” Central Military University Emergency Hospital; President of the Family Medicine Specialty Commission, Ministry of Health; PhD Supervisor and Residency Coordinator.
- Maria Smith – Psychotherapist, accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP); Honorary President of ROconect (the leading Romanian business community in the UK, awarded and recognized by the British Government).
- Dr. Panait Laura Marina – RESEARCH & INNOVATION Foundation; Specialist in Family Medicine and Ultrasonography.
- Dr. Alin Bob – Medical & AI Expert, Co-founder of OncoNav.
PANEL II – High Performance & Mental Resilience
- Bogdan Nicolae Enache – Representative, National Agency for Sport
- Dan Alexa – Head Coach, Politehnica Timișoara; Leader in integrating mental resilience and performance excellence in professional sports.
- Monica Munteanu – Digital Marketing Expert.
PANEL III – Clinical Leadership and Public Health
- Dr. Andrian Țîbîrnă – General Surgery Specialist; General Manager of the “Prof. Dr. Alexandru Obregia” Clinical Psychiatric Hospital.
- Dr. Florina Rad – Senior Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist; Associate Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
- Carmen Buși – Psychotherapist, Psychoanalyst.
- Victor Idricianu – Manager of the Pădureni-Grajduri Psychiatric and Safety Measures Hospital.
- Dr. Paziuc Lucian Constantin, PhD – Senior Psychiatrist; President of the Association of Public Psychiatric Hospitals in Romania.
- Dr. Băcilă Ionuț Ciprian, PhD – Senior Psychiatrist; President of the Romanian Association of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy.
PANEL IV – Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and European Digital Governance
- Cristina Anania – Deputy Director, Romanian Office for Science and Technology to the European Union (ROST).
- Adrian-Victor Vevera, PhD Eng. – General Director, National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics (ICI Bucharest).
- Dan Cîmpean – Director, National Cyber Security Directorate (DNSC).
- Georgiana Coșoveanu – Chair, Health Committee, AmCham Romania.
- Alin Meteșan – CEO & Founder, Escape IT.
- Belciu Bogdan Ionuț – Senior Management Consultant with over 25 years of experience (USA and Romania); formerly with Kearney, PwC, and BCG (Boston Consulting Group); Founder of Valorem Management Consulting.
12:30 – 13:00 – Conclusions
13:30 – 15:30 – Networking and Lunch
#InfoCons #ConsumerProtection #Prevention
Signature: InfoCons Consumer Protection Communication Department