Sexual abuse and exploitation of children: committee hearing

Met dank overgenomen van Europees Parlement (EP) i, gepubliceerd op dinsdag 25 april 2017, 11:17.

MEPs will look at how EU i rules to prevent sexual abuse and exploitation of children have been implemented by EU countries in a committee hearing on Tuesday afternoon.

The Civil Liberties Committee hearing will look at how the current EU rules on combatting sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children online and offline, adopted in 2011, have been implemented by EU member states and MEPs will debate potential gaps and best practices.

Experts from Europol, Eurojust, the judicial field and organisations supporting victims will give presentations on police and judicial cooperation, prevention and protection of victims of child sexual abuse and exploitation and paedophilia and child sexual abuse and child pornography online.

The findings will feed into a set of proposals, now being prepared by Civil Liberties Committee MEP Anna Maria Corazza Bildt i (EPP, SE).

The meeting will be web-streamed and can be followed via

Time: Tuesday 25 April, 15.00 - 18.30

Place: Paul-Henri Spaak building, room 3C050

Background

The European Parliament and Council in December 2011 adopted directive 2011/93/EU on combatting sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child pornography. The directive lays down minimum rules for defining criminal offences and sanctions in the area of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children, child pornography and solicitation of children for sexual purposes. The law introduced a new definition of child pornography, increased criminal penalties, made “grooming” an offence and laid down provisions on removing or blocking websites containing child pornography.

In a resolution adopted on 11 March 2015, Parliament recognised the need for further measures to protect children against sexual abuse online and to fight child sexual offences committed using the internet. To this end Parliament instructed the Civil Liberties Committee to further monitor the implementation of the directive on combatting sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child pornography.

REF. : 20170425IPR72305