Combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child sexual abuse material and replacing Council Framework Decision 2004/68/JHA (recast)
TA-10-2025-0116 · P10_TA(2025)0116 · PE761.022
- Adopted in plenary on · Adopted 599–2–62 · See the decision →
- Full procedure 2024/0035
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Parliament's amended version of the proposed directive on combating child sexual abuse and exploitation sets minimum rules for defining offences and sanctions, and strengthens prevention and victim protection.¶ It broadens the definition of child sexual abuse material to include AI-generated content and instructions, criminalizes new offences like non-consensual sharing and extortion, and raises minimum penalties.¶¶¶ It abolishes limitation periods for prosecution and compensation, and mandates reporting by professionals, support services, and prevention measures.¶¶¶
Key points
- Defines consent as voluntary, clear, informed, and unambiguous agreement by a child above the age of consent, assessed in context.¶
- Expands child sexual abuse material to include any representation by whatever means, including AI, deepfakes, and virtual reality, and adds instructions on committing offences.¶¶¶
- Criminalizes exposing children to pornographic content and disseminating pornographic content without age verification tools.¶¶
- Raises minimum penalties for sexual abuse, exploitation, and child sexual abuse material offences, with maximum terms up to at least 16 years for certain acts.¶¶¶
- Adds new offences: sexual extortion of children, travelling for sexual abuse, and other related acts like advertising abuse opportunities.¶¶¶
- Requires member states to ensure no limitation period applies to offences in Articles 3 to 9, and no limitation for compensation claims.¶¶
- Mandates that professionals and volunteers in close contact with children report suspected abuse, with exemptions for those in prevention programmes.¶¶
- Requires accessible, confidential, and child-friendly reporting mechanisms, including third-party reporting and helplines.¶¶¶
- Provides for support services based on the Barnahus model, including medical, psychological, and legal assistance, free of charge.¶¶
- Sets fines for legal persons at not less than 1% or 5% of worldwide turnover, or EUR 8 million or EUR 40 million, whichever is higher.¶¶
- Requires prevention measures including training, awareness campaigns, and child safeguarding policies in community settings.¶¶¶
Who is affected
- Child victims and survivors of sexual abuse and exploitation: entitled to support, protection, and compensation without limitation periods.¶¶¶
- Professionals and volunteers in contact with children: obliged to report suspected abuse and undergo training.¶¶
- Legal persons, including companies: liable to fines based on worldwide turnover for offences.¶¶
- Organisations acting in the public interest against child sexual abuse: may receive authorisation to process material.¶¶
- Providers of information society services: must cooperate with authorised organisations and face penalties for non-compliance.¶¶
Figures and deadlines
- Minimum maximum imprisonment of at least 1 year for causing a child to witness sexual activities.¶
- Minimum maximum imprisonment of at least 16 years for certain sexual abuse offences.¶¶
- Fines of at least 1% of worldwide turnover or EUR 8,000,000 for offences with 2-year penalties.¶
- Fines of at least 5% of worldwide turnover or EUR 40,000,000 for offences with 3-year penalties.¶