The European Parliament asked on Tuesday not to prescribe the sexual abuses committed on minors, which are almost always reported only after years, and materials containing abuses generated by artificial intelligence (AI) to be considered as crimes.
The European Parliament has approved with 599 votes for, two against and 62 abstentions a proposal of legislative act that tightens the norms in order to more effectively combat sexual abuses against children, informs EFE and AGERPRES.
“If the consequences for the victims last for life, the opportunity to seek justice should last as much,” said the MEP Jeroen Lenaers (the Netherlands), the main negotiator of the European Parliament in this proposal.
For his part, the European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, stressed, during the debate that preceded the vote, the need to “sanction the offenses that use the new technologies such as AI”, as well as to define the “Grooming” (sexual harassment of minors after establishing a social relationship) and sexual intercourse) View that only in the last three years denunciations of this type have multiplied 12 times.
Brunner encouraged not only the approval of this legislative act, but also of a regulation on online materials containing sexual abuses on minors, which obliges technological companies to “address systemic risks” in this area before the expiration of the legislation in force, in April 2026.
In 2023, he adopted his position on this regulation, but the Council has not yet. Once this will happen, the legislative negotiations between the two institutions will begin on this file.
The use of AI for offenses of sexual abuse on children to be explicitly incriminated
The MEPs asked on Tuesday the abolition of the limitation periods for the offenses provided in the law, because the statistics show that most victims denounce the crime long after it took place. They also argued that the right of the victims to request a compensation not to have a limitation period.
On the other hand, they have proposed to increase maximum punishments for several offenses of sexual abuse of children, including recruiting minors for their exploitation in prostitution, holding or distributing materials containing sexual abuses on children and offering compensation for certain sexual abuse on children.
MEPs have supported an update of Definitions at EU level for offenses related to sexual abuse and exploitation. The proposal aims to adapt the legislation to new technologies, such as Deepfake materials, and guarantee that abuse and incitement can be followed in justice whether they have taken place online or offline.
In addition, they argued that the use of artificial intelligence systems designed or adapted mainly for sexual abuse on children to be explicitly incriminated as a crime.
They also approved provisions regarding the live transmission of sexual abuse on children, as well as online broadcasting of related materials.
In order for the investigations to be more efficient, the MEP also supported the possibility of conducting undercover investigations and using undercover surveillance methods.
A new definition of consent
MEPs have requested a new definition of consent, specific to minors who have reached the age of sexual consent. Interactions based on consent between people close to age should not be considered a crime, unless there is addiction or abuse of trust. However, pretending to be a minor should be an aggravating circumstance liable to be sanctioned.
The so-called “abuse” textbooks, which offer step by step advice on how to commit these crimes, will be treated as “premeditating tools”.
Asking to strengthen the rights of victims and support systems throughout the EU by establishing direct telephone lines to denounce abuses and to force Member States to adopt measures to guarantee the rapid withdrawal of web pages containing materials with sexual abuses. He also pleaded for this support for minors to be free and include medical and forensic exams, aid for documenting samples, medical assistance and access to sexual and reproductive health services.
The negotiations between the EP and the Council regarding the final form of the legislative act are provided to start on June 23.
