In July 2023, the European Commission adopted a proposal to revise the EU toy safety legislation. This proposal pursues two main objectives: a) achieving a higher level of child protection, including from the most harmful substances; and b) reducing the number of non-compliant and unsafe toys on the EU market.

EPRS Policy Podcast - Toy safety regulation

The volume of online child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) and frequency of grooming activities, increasingly targeting younger children, is rising sharply. Reporting of suspected online child sexual abuse increased by 35 % in 2021 compared with 2020, representing a historical peak. The proposed regulation laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse would require interpersonal communication services and others to search proactively for CSAM materials and grooming activities targeting children. However, this poses many concerns regarding privacy, security and law enforcement investigations.

EPRS podcast policy - Combating child sexual abuse online

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has forced millions of people, mostly women and children, to flee the country. They seek shelter in neighbouring countries where the international community has mobilised to provide support. Nevertheless, the humanitarian situation is deteriorating and the European Union is working to protect all these people, especially the most vulnerable ones. In this podcast, we will find out more.

Protecting Ukrainian children

In der Europäischen Union leben zurzeit etwa 25 Millionen Kinder, die von Armut oder sozialer Ausgrenzung bedroht sind – eine erschreckend große Zahl. Das findet auch die EU. Deshalb tut sie drei Dinge für diese Kinder:

Das tut Europa gegen Kinderarmut

War es Ihnen als Kind auch wichtig, dass die Erwachsenen Ihnen zuhören? Die EU sorgt dafür, dass die Ansichten und Meinungen von Kindern berücksichtigt werden. Und zwar so:

Das tut Europa für Kinder, die in Bezug auf ihr Leben mitentscheiden dürfen

Eine Trennung ist nie leicht, aber wenn Sie Kinder haben und Ihr Partner eine andere Staatsangehörigkeit besitzt, kann es wirklich kompliziert werden. Dann kann es passieren, dass er oder sie mit Ihren Kindern ins Ausland ziehen will

Das tut Europa gegen grenzüberschreitende Kindesentführung durch einen Elternteil

In Europa wird etwa jedes fünfte Kind sexuell missbraucht. Der Missbrauch findet meistens im unmittelbaren Umfeld der Kinder statt. Aber auch im Internet ist sexuelle Ausbeutung immer häufiger ein Problem. Die EU bekämpft dieses verabscheuungswürdige Verbrechen, und zwar auf drei Arten.

Das tut Europa für minderjährige Opfer von sexuellem Missbrauch

Die ersten Lebensjahre unserer Kinder sind entscheidend – für ihr Wohlergehen und ihre persönliche Entwicklung und später auch für ihren Bildungserfolg und beruflichen Werdegang. Die Mitgliedstaaten der EU sind sich deshalb einig, dass wir Einrichtungen für die frühkindliche Erziehung und Betreuungsangebote für Vorschulkinder brauchen. Die EU unterstützt die Mitgliedstaaten dabei, ihre Angebote immer weiter zu verbessern.

Das tut Europa für Vorschulkinder

Wussten Sie, dass ein Viertel aller Asylbewerber in der EU Kinder sind? Die EU unterstützt und schützt diese Kinder – nämlich so

Das tut Europa für minderjährige Migranten

Immer mehr Kinder und Jugendliche kommen alleine in Europa an. Vermutlich haben sie sich alleine auf den Weg gemacht. Oder sie haben ihre Eltern auf der Reise verloren. Nach ihrer Ankunft in Europa ist ihr Schicksal oft ungewiss, und viele von ihnen werden vermisst

Das tut Europa für unbegleitete Minderjährige und Migrantenkinder, die von ihren Eltern getrennt wurden

Im Internet können Kinder hervorragend lernen und spielen. Doch leider lauern hier auch Gefahren – zum Beispiel Mobbing, schädliche Inhalte oder Kriminelle, die es gezielt auf Kinder abgesehen haben.

Das tut Europa für Eltern von Kindern, die das Internet nutzen

Bist du noch unter 18 und wirst verdächtigt, eine Straftat oder ein Verbrechen begangen zu haben? Dann solltest du wissen, dass du in der EU bestimmte Rechte hast.

Das tut Europa für Kinder, die unter Straftatverdacht stehen

Schulkinder lernen auf immer neue Arten. Und Bildung in der digitalen Welt von heute ist eine Aufgabe, die die EU sehr ernst nimmt. Drei Beispiele dafür:

Das tut Europa für Schulkinder

Eine Heimunterbringung kann schwerwiegende und langfristige Folgen für Kinder haben. Denn diesen Kindern wird nicht nur das Recht auf ein Familienleben vorenthalten: Schon eine kurze Heimunterbringung kann sich nachteilig auf die Entwicklung des Gehirns auswirken.

Das tut Europa für Kinder, die in Heimen untergebracht sind

Die meisten Kinder surfen begeistert im Internet. Das Lernangebot dort ist groß, und auch Spiel und Spaß kommen nicht zu kurz – doch das Netz birgt auch Gefahren. Und das tut die EU, um das Internet für Kinder sicherer zu machen:

Das tut Europa für Kinder im Internet

Sie haben ein Kind adoptiert oder haben es zumindest vor? Dann genießen Sie in der EU bestimmte Rechte. Zum Beispiel diese drei.

Das tut Europa für Adoptiveltern

It is incumbent upon the European Parliament to ensure that its legislative and non-legislative work is informed to respect, promote and safeguard the rights of the child and to advance children’s lives both within the EU and in its relations with the outside world.

Article 3(3) of the Treaty on European Union establishes the objective for the EU to promote protection of the rights of the child. The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights guarantees the protection of the rights of the child by the EU institutions and by EU countries when they implement EU law.

Children’s rights (2019 - 2020)

The rights of the child are part of human rights: rights that the EU and its Member States must respect, protect and fulfil. The Treaty on European Union establishes the objective for the EU to promote protection of the rights of the child. The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU guarantees the protection of the rights of the child by the EU institutions and by EU countries when they implement EU law. Over the years the European Parliament has been instrumental in pushing children's rights to the core of European policies, particularly through its Intergroup on Children's Rights.

On 14 November 2023, the Civil Liberties Committee adopted its position on new measures to protect children online by preventing and stopping child sexual abuse. The draft Parliament position was adopted by the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs with 51 votes in favour, 2 against, and 1 abstaining. Inter-institutional negotiations were authorised with 48 in favour, 2 against, and 4 abstaining.

To protect children online, the new rules would mandate internet providers to assess whether there is a significant risk of their services being misused for online child sexual abuse and to solicit children, and to take measures to mitigate these risks. MEPs want mitigation measures to be targeted, proportionate and effective, and providers should be able to decide which ones to use.

They also want to ensure that pornographic sites have adequate age verification systems, flagging mechanisms for child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and human content moderation to process these reports. To stop minors being solicited online, MEPs propose that services targeting children should require by default user consent for unsolicited messages, have blocking and muting options, and boost parental control.

Children’s rights

The European Parliament works to ensure that its legislative and non-legislative work respects, promotes and safeguards the rights of the child and advances children’s lives both within the EU and in relation to the outside world.

The EU school fruit, vegetable and milk scheme lasts throughout the school year in the participating EU countries.

Aimed at promoting healthy eating habits among children, the EU school scheme includes the distribution of fruit, vegetables and milk products, as well as dedicated educational programmes to teach pupils about the importance of good nutrition and to explain how food is produced.

#EUelections2019 - Children’s rights

MEPs discuss with the Council and Commission how to address the urgent concerns surrounding Ukrainian children being forcibly deported to Russia. 

Since Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine began in February 2022, international organisations have documented a wide range of serious human rights violations affecting children. Reports of children forcibly deported or displaced by Russian authorities, combined in many cases with them being subjected to re-education programmes and forced adoption, have raised concern. According to the Children of War initiative of the Ukrainian National Information Bureau (NIB), more than 19 500 children have been deported or forcibly displaced, and only 388 have been returned. 

In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against President Putin, and Maria Lvova-Belova, the Russian Commissioner for Children’s Rights. Both have been charged with the unlawful deportation of children and the unlawful transfer of children from occupied areas of Ukraine to Russia.

Plenary Debate - Concerns surrounding Ukrainian children forcibly deported to Russia

EMPL - Working Group on the European Child Guarantee

EP Plenary session - Creation of a European initiative for an annual designation of European capitals for children

Press conference by Javier ZARZALEJOS rapporteur, Paul TANG, Hilde VAUTMANS, Patrick BREYER and Cornelia ERNST shadows on The Proposal for a Regulation laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse

Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly - Meeting of the Committee on Social Affairs, Youth and Children, Human Exchanges, Education and Culture

DLAT

ENVI/poldepA Health Working Group Public Webinar on Healthy lifestyles and fighting child obesity

ENVI

Committee on Social Affairs, Youth and Children, Human Exchanges, Education and Culture (DLAT)

Europäische Garantie für Kinder (Aussprache)

Tagesordnung der nächsten Sitzung: siehe Protokoll

Schluss der Sitzung

European Child Guarantee

High-level conference on Child Rights - 30th Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child

Lage der Rohingya-Flüchtlinge, insbesondere die Not der Kinder

Situation of Rohingyas refugees, in particular the plight of children

Schutz minderjähriger Migranten (Aussprache)

Protection of children in migration (debate)

Kindersklaverei in Haiti

Child slavery in Haiti

Zuständigkeit, Anerkennung und Vollstreckung von Entscheidungen in Ehesachen und in Verfahren betreffend die elterliche Verantwortung und internationale Kindesentführungen (Aussprache)

Jurisdiction, recognition and enforcement of decisions in matrimonial matters and matters of parental responsibility, and international child abduction (debate)

Umsetzung der Richtlinie zur Bekämpfung des sexuellen Missbrauchs und der sexuellen Ausbeutung von Kindern sowie der Kinderpornografie (Aussprache)

Implementation of the directive on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child pornography (debate)

Kinderehen ein Ende setzen (Aussprache)

Ending child marriage (debate)

Kinderarmut (Aussprache)

Child poverty (debate)

Bangladesch, einschließlich Frühverheiratung

Bangladesh, including child marriages

Umgang mit dem Problem des Verschwindens minderjähriger Migranten in Europa (Aussprache)

Tackling the disappearance of migrant children in Europe (debate)

Kinderschutzpolitik und -maßnahmen der EU im Zusammenhang mit der Migration (Aussprache)

EU policies and actions to protect children in the context of migration (debate)

Zugang zu Bildung für syrische Kinder im Libanon (Aussprache)

Access to education for Syrian children in Lebanon (debate)

EP Plenary session - Creation of a European initiative for an annual designation of European capitals for childrenEP Plenary session - Creation of a European initiative for an annual designation of European capitals for children

EP Plenary session - Council and Commission statements - Need to address the urgent concerns surrounding Ukrainian children forcibly deported to Russia

Speech by Roberta METSOLA, EP President at EPP Hearing on Internet Safety for Children

EP Plenary session - International Day on the Rights of the Child

LIBE - Vote on Laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse

DG EXPO Poldep and DROI workshop ' Forcible transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children: responses and accountability measures '

Press conference on The Proposal for a Regulation laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse

EP Plenary session - Oral question - Segregation and discrimination of Roma children in education

September Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

STOA Workshop ' EU collaborative models to tackle childhood cancer '

EMPL Interparliamentary Committee Meeting ' Children at the heart of Europe: Two years of the European Child Guarantee '

EP Plenary session - Marking the World Day against Child Labour

EP Plenary session - Children forcibly deported to Ukraine and ICC arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin

EP Plenary session - The rights of children in Rainbow Families and same sex parents in particular in Italy

LIBE Public Hearing ' Children on the move '

EP Plenary session - A need for a dedicated budget to turn the Child Guarantee into reality - an urgency in times of energy and food crisis

COVI Special Committee - Socio-economic impact on children

MEPs debate on the creation of a European initiative for an annual designation of European capitals for children. Closing statement by Dubravka ŠUICA, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Democracy and Demography.

EP Plenary session - Creation of a European initiative for an annual designation of European capitals for children: Closing statement by the Commission

MEPs debate on the creation of a European initiative for an annual designation of European capitals for children. MEPs debate.

EP Plenary session - Creation of a European initiative for an annual designation of European capitals for children: MEPs debate

MEPs debate on the creation of a European initiative for an annual designation of European capitals for children. Opening statement by Dubravka ŠUICA, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Democracy and Demography. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

EP Plenary session - Creation of a European initiative for an annual designation of European capitals for children: Opening statement by the Commission

MEPs discuss with the Council and Commission how to address the urgent concerns surrounding Ukrainian children being forcibly deported to Russia. Since Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine began in February 2022, international organisations have documented a wide range of serious human rights violations affecting children. Reports of children forcibly deported or displaced by Russian authorities, and being subjected to re-education programmes and forced adoption, have raised concern. According to the Children of War initiative of the Ukrainian National Information Bureau (NIB), more than 19 500 children have been deported or forcibly displaced, and only 388 have been returned. In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against President Putin, and Maria Lvova-Belova, the Russian Commissioner for Children’s Rights.This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

EP Plenary session - Council and Commission statements - Need to address the urgent concerns surrounding Ukrainian children forcibly deported to Russia: Opening statement by Council and Commission

MEPs discuss with the Council and Commission how to address the urgent concerns surrounding Ukrainian children being forcibly deported to Russia. Since Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine began in February 2022, international organisations have documented a wide range of serious human rights violations affecting children. Reports of children forcibly deported or displaced by Russian authorities, combined in many cases with them being subjected to re-education programmes and forced adoption, have raised concern. According to the Children of War initiative of the Ukrainian National Information Bureau (NIB), more than 19 500 children have been deported or forcibly displaced, and only 388 have been returned. This news item shows extracts from the MEP's debate in plenary.

Ukrainian children deported to Russia: extracts from the debate

MEPs discuss with the Council and Commission how to address the urgent concerns surrounding Ukrainian children being forcibly deported to Russia. Since Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine began in February 2022, international organisations have documented a wide range of serious human rights violations affecting children. Reports of children forcibly deported or displaced by Russian authorities, combined in many cases with them being subjected to re-education programmes and forced adoption, have raised concern. According to the Children of War initiative of the Ukrainian National Information Bureau (NIB), more than 19 500 children have been deported or forcibly displaced, and only 388 have been returned. In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against President Putin, and Maria Lvova-Belova, the Russian Commissioner for Children’s Rights.

EP Plenary session - Council and Commission statements - Need to address the urgent concerns surrounding Ukrainian children forcibly deported to Russia: Closing statement by Commission and Council

EP Plenary session - Council and Commission statements - Need to address the urgent concerns surrounding Ukrainian children forcibly deported to Russia: MEPs debate

MEPs discuss the wellbeing and the protection of children in Europe, marking the International Day on the Rights of the Child. The Parliament also debate how to strengthen the Child Guarantee, two years after its adoption in 2021. MEPs discuss a report to reduce inequalities and increase social inclusion in times of crisis for children and their families. In the text, Parliament calls for better integrated social, educational and employment services to help break the vicious circle of poverty and to protect children and their families at risk of poverty, in particular in times of crisis. Closing statement by Sandra PEREIRA, Rapporteur and Dubravka ŠUICA, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Democracy and Demography

International Day on the Rights of the Child: closing statement by Sandra PEREIRA, Rapporteur and Dubravka ŠUICA, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Democracy and Demography

MEPs discuss the wellbeing and the protection of children in Europe, marking the International Day on the Rights of the Child. The Parliament also debate how to strengthen the Child Guarantee, two years after its adoption in 2021. MEPs discuss a report to reduce inequalities and increase social inclusion in times of crisis for children and their families. In the text, Parliament calls for better integrated social, educational and employment services to help break the vicious circle of poverty and to protect children and their families at risk of poverty, in particular in times of crisis.

International Day on the Rights of the Child: MEPs debate

MEPs discuss the wellbeing and the protection of children in Europe, marking the International Day on the Rights of the Child. The Parliament also debate how to strengthen the Child Guarantee, two years after its adoption in 2021. MEPs discuss a report to reduce inequalities and increase social inclusion in times of crisis for children and their families. In the text, Parliament calls for better integrated social, educational and employment services to help break the vicious circle of poverty and to protect children and their families at risk of poverty, in particular in times of crisis. Opening statement by Sandra PEREIRA (The Left, PT), Rapporteur and Dubravka ŠUICA, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Democracy and Demography and Ewa KOPACZ (EPP, PL), on behalf of the FEMM Committee. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Joint debate International Day on the Rights of the Child: opening statement by Sandra PEREIRA, Rapporteur and Dubravka ŠUICA, VP of the EC in charge of Democracy and Demography and by Ewa KOPACZ, on behalf of the FEMM Committee

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, opens the plenary session in Strasbourg with introductory remarks on the International Day on the Rights of the Child (20 Nov.). This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Introductory remark by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, on the International Day on the Rights of the Child (20 Nov.)

Javier ZARZALEJOS (EPP, ES), Rapporteur, gives a statement about the Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) voting a proposal to lay down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse online. The proposal suggests that service providers should be obligated to evaluate the substantial risks of their platforms being used for online child sexual abuse and grooming. It also proposes granting judicial authorities the authority to issue time-limited orders for detecting and removing such materials and establishing an EU Center for Child Protection. This center, among its various responsibilities, would serve as the primary complaint channel for the entire European Union. This news item shows extracts from the vote in the Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) and a statement of Javier Zarzalejos, Rapporteur on the proposal for laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse.

Vote on Laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse online: extracts from the vote and statement by Javier ZARZALEJOS (EPP, ES), Rapporteur

The draft report of the European Parliament on EU strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual abuse welcomes and shares the European Commission's proposal’s main aims. Yet the draft report includes a number of new elements. For instance, it includes in its scope search engines and other artificial intelligence systems and limits CSA scanning in E2E encryption to metadata analysis in order to detect suspicious patterns of behaviour without having access to the content of the encrypted communication. Javier ZARZALEJOS (EPP, ES) Rapporteur, Paul TANG (S&D, NL), Hilde VAUTMANS (Renew, BE), Patrick BREYER (Greens/EFA, DE) and Cornelia ERNST (The Left, DE), shadow rapporteurs, hold a press conference on the proposal for a Regulation laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Press conference by Javier ZARZALEJOS (EPP, ES) rapporteur, Paul TANG (S&D, NL), Hilde VAUTMANS (Renew, BE), Patrick BREYER (Greens/EFA, DE) and Cornelia ERNST (The Left, DE): Proposal for a Regulation laying down rules to prevent child sexual abuse

Parliament holds urgent debates on a series of relevant topics: human rights, democracy and rule of law. Humanitarian situation in Sudan, in particular the death of children trapped by fighting. closing statement by Kadri SIMSON, European Commissioner for Energy.

Humanitarian situation in Sudan, in particular the death of children trapped by fighting: closing statement by Kadri SIMSON, European Commissioner for Energy

MEPs debate on the current situation on the child labour and how to protect and guarantee children's rights on the occasion of the World Day against Child Labour during the plenary session in Strasbourg. The European Parliament has condemned child labour and its various forms within and outside the EU in a number of resolutions over the years. During the current term, Parliament has issued, inter alia, a resolution on children's rights in view of the EU strategy on the rights of the child (March 2021), calling on the Commission and Member States to end, in law and in practice, all child labour and all other forms of work likely to harm children's health and safety. One round of political group speakers

Marking the World Day against Child Labour: one round of political group speakers

MEPs debate on the current situation on the child labour and how to protect and guarantee children's rights on the occasion of the World Day. The European Parliament has condemned child labour and its various forms within and outside the EU in a number of resolutions over the years. During the current term, Parliament has issued, inter alia, a resolution on children's rights in view of the EU strategy on the rights of the child (March 2021), calling on the Commission and Member States to end, in law and in practice, all child labour and all other forms of work likely to harm children's health and safety. Opening statement by Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please chack against delivery.

Marking the World Day against Child Labour: opening statement by Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, gives her introductory remark on the children injured in knife attack in Annecy, ahead of the plenary session in Strasbourg. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Resumption of session and order of business: introductory remark by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, on the children injured by a knife attack in Annecy

The International Criminal Court’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and for Maria Lvova-Belova for war crimes of unlawfully deporting and transferring Ukrainian children from the occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation debated by MEPs. Closing statements by Věra JOUROVÁ, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Values and Transparency and by Jessika ROSWALL, Swedish Minister for EU Affairs.

Children forcibly deported to Ukraine and ICC arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin: closing statements by Věra JOUROVÁ, Vice-President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency and by Jessika ROSWALL, Swedish Minister for EU Affairs

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EMPL - Working Group on the European Child Guarantee

EMPL - Working Group on the European Child Guarantee

EMPL - Working Group on the European Child Guarantee

EMPL - Working Group on the European Child Guarantee

EMPL - Working Group on the European Child Guarantee

EMPL - Working Group on the European Child Guarantee

EMPL - Working Group on the European Child Guarantee

EMPL - Working Group on the European Child Guarantee

EMPL - Working Group on the European Child Guarantee

EMPL - Working Group on the European Child Guarantee

EMPL - Working Group on the European Child Guarantee

EP Plenary session - Creation of a European initiative for an annual designation of European capitals for children

EP Plenary session - Creation of a European initiative for an annual designation of European capitals for children

EP Plenary session - Creation of a European initiative for an annual designation of European capitals for children

EP Plenary session - Creation of a European initiative for an annual designation of European capitals for children

EP Plenary session - Creation of a European initiative for an annual designation of European capitals for children

EP Plenary session - Creation of a European initiative for an annual designation of European capitals for children

EP Plenary session - Creation of a European initiative for an annual designation of European capitals for children