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Harsher Penalties and AI Regulation: EU Parliament Pushes for Stronger Child Protection Laws

LAWHarsher Penalties and AI Regulation: EU Parliament Pushes for Stronger Child Protection Laws

The European Parliament is pushing for stricter penalties, abolition of the statute of limitations, and equal treatment of online and offline sexual crimes against children. These proposed changes are part of a broader directive aimed at harmonizing child protection laws across the EU, especially in light of the rapid development of new technologies, including AI-generated images and videos.

On June 23, negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council began on the final form of the directive to combat child sexual abuse. The Parliament’s position was adopted the previous week in a plenary session with 599 votes in favor, 2 against, and 62 abstentions.

“When it comes to the sexual exploitation of children, we want to harmonize penalties across the EU. These penalties must be severe, statutes of limitation should be extended, and children must be protected at all costs,” said MEP Jadwiga Wiśniewska (Law and Justice) in an interview with Newseria.

Stronger Definitions and No Statute of Limitations

MEPs voted to update the EU-wide definitions of child sexual abuse, proposing increased maximum sentences for crimes such as child prostitution, possession, and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). They also advocated for penalties not to be reduced if the victim has reached the age of sexual consent.

The proposal stresses that no child can consent to sexual abuse, even if they are above the age of consent. MEPs also proposed a new definition of consent to clarify that peer-to-peer interactions should not be criminalized unless there is coercion, manipulation, or abuse of trust. Posing as a peer online would, however, be considered an aggravating factor.

Another key change is the removal of limitation periods for prosecuting child sexual abuse crimes. Parliament members emphasized that victims often delay reporting such crimes due to emotional trauma, shame, or developmental limitations, sometimes for decades. As such, compensation claims should also be allowed without time limits.

“Penalties will be increased, and the limitation periods will be extended. This is necessary and should be harmonized across the entire European Union,” Wiśniewska added.

Addressing Technological Challenges and AI Threats

The directive aims to keep pace with technological developments, ensuring that crimes committed in the digital realm are prosecuted with the same rigor as those committed offline. This includes criminalizing the creation and use of child sexual abuse material generated using AI, deepfake technology, and in augmented or virtual reality environments.

The Parliament explicitly proposed criminal liability for using AI systems designed or adapted for committing pedophile offenses. New rules also address live streaming of such crimes and the online dissemination of related content.

“We are increasingly seeing threats from the internet and the difficulty in identifying perpetrators. Cyberviolence and cybercrime target children, so we are proposing regulations that will make it easier to catch child abusers,” said Wiśniewska.
“Technology companies must take responsibility. Regulations are needed to require them to block this kind of content—this is essential.”

Alarming Statistics and AI-Fueled Growth in Abuse

The proposed reforms come amid alarming statistics. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), reports of child sexual exploitation online rose from 1 million in 2010 to over 36 million in 2023. In 2023 alone, NCMEC identified over 50,000 urgent cases of children in immediate danger.

The volume of abusive material—62.9 million images, videos, and files—has skyrocketed. The report notes:

  • +192% year-over-year increase in online grooming cases,
  • +55% in child sex trafficking, and
  • +1325% in the use of generative AI in child sexual abuse.

“Unfortunately, the scale of the problem continues to grow. Offenders are becoming more sophisticated, and technological developments are increasing the threat,” Wiśniewska warned.

Calls for Cross-Border Cooperation and Regulation

The directive also emphasizes the need for cross-border cooperation between national authorities, Eurojust, and Europol, and the improvement of reporting and response mechanisms.

In parallel to the directive, work is ongoing on a regulation specifically targeting online CSAM, aiming to further empower authorities and platforms to detect, report, and remove illegal content more effectively.

The European Parliament is calling for a comprehensive Cloud-First policy, improved AI governance, and enhanced transparency and accountability from tech companies—all aimed at creating a safer internet for children across Europe.

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