What is the EU doing to protect children from sexual abuse?

The EU Strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual abuse aims to respond to the increasing threat of child sexual abuse, both in its online and offline forms. This Strategy is the reference framework for EU action to protect children against abuse for the 2020-2025 period. 

The Strategy responds to the calls for concrete action from citizens, the European Parliament, and the Council. At global level, stakeholders have called for stronger approach in multiple fora, in particular at the December 2019 summit of the We Protect Global Alliance to end child sexual exploitation online. 

The Strategy makes use of all the tools at the EU’s disposal: legislative, coordination and funding. Its goal is to drive action from all key actors, including law enforcement, social services, health-care professionals, educators, child protection authorities, the judiciary, as well as private entities, in particular industry and civil society.  

The Strategy sets out eight concrete initiatives. It has a three-fold focus on a more effective law enforcement response, better support for victims and improved prevention. It aims to: 

• ensure complete implementation of the current rules (particularly Directive 2011/93/EU on combating sexual abuse and exploitation of children) 
• ensure that EU laws enable an effective response 
• identify legislative gaps, best practices and priority actions 
• strengthen the law enforcement efforts at national and EU level 
• enable EU countries to better protect children through prevention 
• establish a European centre to prevent and counter child sexual abuse 
• galvanise industry efforts to ensure the protection of children in their products 
• improve protection of children globally through multi-stakeholder cooperation