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

Voting session

EP Plenary session - Combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children

Poverty has many dimensions. Following recent crises, not least the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, some of poverty's known dimensions have evolved while new forms have emerged. Addressing poverty remains mainly the responsibility of EU countries' governments acting in complex national social settings. The EU meanwhile seeks to coordinate Member States' efforts and offers support in the form of funding and data. The new European Commission is stepping up efforts to meet the EU's poverty reduction targets.

EU action against poverty

EP Plenary session - Strengthening children’s rights in the EU - 35th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

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

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

EP Plenary session - Children's Right

JURI Committee - Exchange of views with EP coordinator on Children's Rights

High-level conference to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child- Concluding remarks

High-level conference to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child- Second panel : ' Every child has the right to dream '

MEPs debate on updating EU-wide legislation on child sexual abuse crimes to account for technological advances and to improve victim support. The legislation would revise the definitions of crimes to take account of new technological realities, raise certain maximum punishments, and provide better support to victims. The draft law criminalises child sexual abuse instruction manuals and artificially-created deepfake imagery, among other things. Closing statements

Combating the sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of children and child sexual abuse material : Closing statements by Magnus BRUNNER, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration and Jeroen LENAERS (EPP, NL), Rapporteur

MEPs debate on updating EU-wide legislation on child sexual abuse crimes to account for technological advances and to improve victim support. The legislation would revise the definitions of crimes to take account of new technological realities, raise certain maximum punishments, and provide better support to victims. The draft law criminalises child sexual abuse instruction manuals and artificially-created deepfake imagery, among other things. MEPs debate

Combating the sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of children and child sexual abuse material: MEPs debate (part 2)

Combating the sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of children and child sexual abuse material: MEPs debate (part 1)

MEPs debate on updating EU-wide legislation on child sexual abuse crimes to account for technological advances and to improve victim support. The legislation would revise the definitions of crimes to take account of new technological realities, raise certain maximum punishments, and provide better support to victims. The draft law criminalises child sexual abuse instruction manuals and artificially-created deepfake imagery, among other things. Opening statements. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Combating the sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of children and child sexual abuse material : Opening statements by Jeroen LENAERS (EPP, NL), Rapporteur, Magnus BRUNNER, European Commissioner and Heléne FRITZON (S&D, SE), FEMM Committee

This infoclip gives an overview of the tech giants Meta, Amazon, Google,TikTok, LinkedIn and X. In 2025 Meta announced the end of its third party fact-checking program. In 2024 the Commission opened proceedings against TikTok for not having assessed risks linked to election integrity. The Commission also proceeded against X for breaching the DSA. This infoclip shows Meta's exhibition, a woman buying on Amazon, people scrolling on social media and TikTok premises (Source : Tiktok).

Infoclip: Digital Services Act (DSA), E-Commerce and Social Media - long version

EP President, Roberta METSOLA, addresses the Meta pan-European Youth Summit at the Square Convention Centre in Brussels. The conference titled "Youth Safety in a Digital World" focuses on how to support parents and young people to safely navigate online spaces.

Roberta METSOLA, EP President at the Meta Pan-European Youth Summit: extracts from the address

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

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