MEP Maria Walsh, on behalf of the European People's Party (PPE) Group, has tabled a parliamentary question urging the European Commission to consider new EU criminal legislation specifically targeting cyberbullying and online harassment, arguing that existing frameworks leave significant gaps. The question, submitted on 17 April 2026, seeks to push the Commission beyond its February 2026 Action Plan against Cyberbullying, which Walsh and her colleagues view as relying too heavily on existing tools like the Digital Services Act (DSA) rather than proposing new binding measures.
Concrete asks and policy direction
The question contains five specific queries, including whether the Commission acknowledges the need for harmonised criminal offences under Article 83(1) TFEU for serious cross-border cyberbullying, and whether a common EU definition of cyberbullying as a criminal offence under Article 83(2) TFEU is necessary. It also asks if the DSA is sufficient or if additional binding obligations for online platforms are required. The MEPs cite national best practice, such as Ireland's Coco's Law, which criminalises the non-consensual distribution of intimate images and serious online harassment, and ask whether the Commission will explore an 'EU Coco's Law' legislative initiative.
Expected follow-up
The Commission is expected to respond within approximately six weeks, by late May or early June 2026. Its answer will signal whether it is open to pursuing criminal law harmonisation in this area or prefers to rely on the DSA and non-legislative measures. The question highlights a cleavage between those advocating for stronger EU-level criminal law intervention to protect minors and victims, and those favouring the existing regulatory approach under the DSA, which focuses on platform accountability without creating new criminal offences.
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