Revision of the Child Sexual Abuse Directive

AT A GLANCE Plenary – June 2025 Revision of the Child Sexual Abuse Directive In February 2024, the European Commission submitted a proposal for a recast of Directive 2011/93/EU on combating child sexual abuse. The recast directive would include measures to harmonise definitions of and punishments for crimes, both online and offline, broadening the current scope of the offences, ensuring more effective investigation and prosecution, and strengthening the protection of victims. The European Parliament is set to vote on its negotiating mandate on the legislative proposal during the June plenary session. Background Existing EU criminal law rules on child sexual abuse and exploitation are no longer fit for purpose. The 2020-2025 EU strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual abuse proposed several key actions to strengthen the fight against child sexual abuse both online and offline. The recast proposal is part of the key actions of the first initiative under the strategy, namely to ensure the complete implementation of current legislation. The Commission is also expected to publish guidelines on the protection of minors online under the Digital Services Act. A separate proposal for a regulation on child sexual abuse material is currently being discussed by Parliament and the Council. European Commission proposal On 7 February 2024, the Commission submitted a proposal for a directive on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child...