Combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child sexual abuse material. Recast
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In interinstitutional negotiations (trilogues). Parliament and Council are working toward a provisional agreement, which would still need formal adoption to become law.
Last active 07 Sept 2026
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What this bill does
In plain terms: what it changes and who it affects.
This directive updates EU criminal rules against child sexual abuse, exploitation, online abuse material, grooming, prevention, reporting, victim support and offender checks.
Who it affects
It affects children at risk of sexual abuse or exploitation, child victims and adult survivors, convicted or potential offenders, employers working with children, online services, and child-protection organisations.
Core of the proposal
- Expands child sexual abuse material to cover deepfakes, virtual representations and abuse manuals.
- Creates offences for live-streamed abuse solicitation and operating online services facilitating child sexual abuse.
- Requires employer checks for roles involving regular child contact or child-abuse prevention work.
- Extends victim support, compensation rights, reporting channels, data collection and prevention programmes.
Articles changed · 37 across 2 laws
- Council Framework Decision 2004/68/JHA (32004F0068)
- entire act: replaces the entire framework decision
- Directive 2011/93/EU (32011L0093)
- entire act: recasts and repeals the entire directive
- art. 2: amends definitions, including child sexual abuse material and peers
- art. 3: amends sexual abuse offences and penalties; adds penetration and consent rules
- art. 4: amends sexual exploitation terminology and increases penalties for prostitution-related offences
- art. 5: amends child sexual abuse material offences; adds authorised public-interest organisation exception
- art. 6: amends solicitation offences and penalties
- art. 7: inserts offence of solicitation of sexual abuse
- art. 8: inserts offence of operating online service facilitating child sexual abuse or exploitation
- art. 9: amends incitement, aiding, abetting and attempt provisions to cover Articles 7 and 8
- art. 10: amends consensual sexual activities exemptions and consent rules
- art. 11: amends aggravating circumstances and expands covered offences
- art. 12: amends disqualification rules and employer criminal-record information requirements
- art. 13: amends liability of legal persons to cover expanded offences
- art. 14: amends sanctions on legal persons and introduces turnover-based fine levels
- art. 15: amends non-prosecution/non-penalty rule for compelled child victims
- art. 16: amends investigation, prosecution and limitation-period rules
- art. 17: amends reporting rules and adds professional reporting obligations and guidelines
- art. 18: inserts reporting procedures for child sexual abuse or exploitation
- art. 19: amends jurisdiction and coordination of prosecution rules
- art. 20: amends general assistance, support and protection provisions for child victims
- art. 21: amends assistance and support obligations, including EU Centre support role
- art. 22: amends protection of child victims in investigations and proceedings
- art. 23: inserts victim right to compensation
- art. 24: inserts national authorities or equivalent entities
- art. 25: inserts multi-agency and multi-stakeholder coordination and cooperation obligations
- art. 26: amends measures against advertising abuse opportunities and child sex tourism terminology
- art. 27: amends preventive intervention programmes or measures
- art. 28: amends prevention measures and adds EU Centre prevention support
- art. 29: amends voluntary intervention programmes during or after criminal proceedings
- art. 30: amends measures against websites containing or disseminating child sexual abuse material
- art. 31: inserts data collection obligations
- art. 32: replaces reporting requirements with five-year Commission reporting cycle
- art. 33: amends transposition provisions
- art. 34: inserts repeal provision for Directive 2011/93/EU
- art. 35: amends entry into force and application provisions
- art. 36: amends addressees provision
Latest update
07 Sept 2026The most recent development in this bill's progress.
Council working party held deliberations on the child sexual abuse directive recast
Trilogues (interinstitutional negotiations) → Trilogues (interinstitutional negotiations)
The file remains in trilogues, but Council-side technical deliberations indicate negotiations are still active.
- Why now: The event reflects ongoing Council preparation within trilogue negotiations, without any recorded agreement or adopted text.
- Council working party deliberations took place on 2026-09-07.
- The proposal still concerns replacing Council Framework Decision 2004/68/JHA.
- No completed phase or text outcome is recorded.
Evidence
Event · 2026-09-07 Deliberations in Council working party
Documents
1 recentSourcesOEILEUR-LexEU Law Tracker