Protecting children from sexual abuse is at the core of Commissioner Magnus Brunner's recent address to the European Parliament. His speech, delivered on June 17, 2025, highlights five pivotal elements aimed at combating child sexual abuse and exploitation in the digital age.
Focus on Legal Clarity and Criminalisation
Brunner stresses the urgent need to criminalise crimes involving new technologies, particularly targeting artificially generated child sexual abuse material. He underlines the significance of clearly defining grooming and sextortion—crimes that have reportedly increased twelvefold over the past three years. Defining "consent" explicitly to reject any assumptions based on children's fear or silence is also a key proposal endorsed by the Commissioner.
Policy Orientation and Concrete Measures
The Commissioner welcomes Parliament's approach to categorising "paedophile manuals" as illicit child sexual abuse material, highlighting the dangers these pose by enabling predators with grooming tactics and methods to conceal offenses. Furthermore, Brunner supports Parliament's call for mandatory background checks on all individuals working or volunteering regularly with children, intending to enhance safety in community activities such as sports and scouting.
Stakeholder Impact and Policy Trade-offs
These policy directions indicate a strengthening of EU regulatory powers over child protection issues and impose additional compliance requirements on sectors involving children's activities. EU regulatory bodies and national authorities may face increased supervisory responsibilities to enforce these laws effectively. For child safety advocates and civil society, these proposals signal amplified protective measures. However, organizations and volunteers engaged with children could see a moderate increase in administrative burdens due to mandatory background checks, potentially affecting recruitment and participation.
In summary, Commissioner Brunner's proposals outline a proactive and detailed framework targeting technological abuse and preventative safeguards in child-related sectors, emphasizing enforcement clarity and child protection without specifying budgetary resources or fixed deadlines. The speech reflects his personal stance supporting enhanced regulation and protection efforts within the EU framework.