MEP Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza (ECR) has asked the European Commission whether its planned simplification of the AI Act through the digital omnibus package will lower protections for minors exposed to generative AI systems, which can create age-inappropriate content, manipulate behaviour, and harm mental development. The question, filed on 8 July 2026, targets the Commission's proposal to reduce administrative burdens on businesses under Regulation (EU) 2024/1689, warning that deregulation must not come at the expense of children's rights enshrined in Articles 24 and 14(3) of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
Sturdza's three-part question presses the Commission on concrete safeguards: first, how it will ensure that simplified rules do not weaken protections against age-inappropriate content generated by AI; second, what support parents will receive to effectively control and consent to their young children's exposure to such systems; and third, how the omnibus measures will align with existing obligations under the Digital Services Act to prevent regulatory gaps. The MEP's intervention reflects a concern that the Commission's competitiveness-driven deregulation could dilute child safety standards, a cleavage between business facilitation and fundamental rights protection.
The question does not propose specific numerical targets or deadlines but demands a clear policy direction from the Commission. Under parliamentary rules, the Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks; its answer will signal whether it prioritises administrative simplification or maintains robust safeguards for minors. The issue affects EU children and families, AI developers subject to compliance costs, and digital platforms already regulated under the DSA.