The European Parliament and the Council have reached a provisional agreement on a major update to EU rules aimed at combating child sexual abuse (CSA), introducing
tougher penalties, new criminal offences reflecting technological developments, longer time limits for prosecutions, and stronger support for victims.
The revised directive modernises the EU legal framework to address emerging forms of child sexual abuse, particularly those facilitated by digital technologies, while strengthening protections for children and survivors.
New offences to address technological threats
The updated legislation introduces several new criminal offences, including the production, possession, and distribution of manuals or instructions designed to facilitate child sexual abuse crimes. These offences will be punishable by at least two years’ imprisonment.
For the first time, the law also criminalises artificial intelligence systems specifically designed or adapted to generate child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Acquiring, possessing, or distributing such systems may result in prison sentences of up to two years.
Additional new offences include:
Organising travel to another country for the purpose of committing child sexual abuse;
Grooming children for sexual purposes, including online solicitation;
Attempted solicitation of children to produce CSAM;
Livestreaming child sexual abuse;
Sextortion involving threats to distribute child sexual abuse material.
Tougher penalties and stronger protection of consent
The agreement raises maximum penalties for a range of child sexual abuse offences, including attendance at abusive performances involving children and the sexual exploitation of children in prostitution.
Penalties related to child sexual abuse material will also increase significantly. Possession, acquisition, or intentional access to CSAM will carry penalties of at least two years’ imprisonment, while distribution or dissemination offences will be punishable by at least three years.
To limit the spread of abusive content online, Member States will be required to ensure the rapid removal of CSAM hosted within their territory or block access to such material where removal is not possible.
The revised rules also strengthen the concept of consent. Sexual acts involving penetration with children above the age of consent who do not consent will be punishable by up to ten years in prison. Where the victim is below the age of consent, penalties may reach twelve years.
More time for victims to seek justice
Recognising that survivors often need many years before reporting abuse, the agreement significantly extends limitation periods for prosecution.
For the most serious offences, limitation periods will run for 32 years after a victim reaches adulthood. For offences carrying penalties of between five and ten years’ imprisonment, the limitation period will be 20 years. For other offences, including the production of child sexual abuse material, the limitation period will be 15 years.
Enhanced support for victims and prevention measures
The new rules require Member States to provide specialised support services for survivors of child sexual abuse and to ensure child-friendly access to assessment, protection, and assistance.
Victims will have the right to seek compensation from offenders, while dedicated helplines must be available to provide information and support.
Public awareness campaigns will promote understanding of consent and reinforce that non-consensual sexual activity is a criminal offence. Member States will also be required to implement intervention programmes aimed at preventing reoffending.
Stronger reporting and child protection measures
The agreement improves reporting mechanisms by ensuring that professional secrecy rules do not prevent reports where there are reasonable grounds to suspect abuse.
Professionals working closely with children will be required to report cases where there are substantial grounds to believe a child faces serious and imminent danger from a child sexual abuse offence.
Child protection organisations will receive stronger legal support to operate hotlines and helplines, and Member States are encouraged to enable these organisations to identify publicly accessible child sexual abuse material online.
Mandatory background checks
To enhance child safety, employers recruiting for positions involving regular contact with children will be required to conduct background checks to verify that applicants have not been convicted of child sexual abuse offences.
Following requests from Members of the European Parliament, this requirement will also apply to organised voluntary activities involving children, such as sports clubs, educational programmes, and after-school activities.
The agreement represents a significant step forward in strengthening child protection across the European Union and ensuring that legislation keeps pace with evolving forms of abuse and exploitation.