EU institutions adopt directive on child sexual exploitation

December 2011. The European Internet Services Providers Association (EuroISPA) welcomes the adoption of the Directive and the removal of child sexual abuse material at the source as the most effective technical measure to fight child abuse material online.

BRUSSELS – EuroISPA and the ISPs welcome the adoption of the Directive by the Council of the EU. We have always called for the most effective action possible to be applied, so that such illegal material could be removed permanently at the source, and are actively committed in this regard.

Malcolm Hutty, President of EuroISPA, stated that “by requiring the mandatory removal of child sexual abuse material at the source as the single most effective technical measure to combat its distribution online and, by fostering international cooperation against illegal content hosted in third countries, we believe the adoption of the Directive will achieve a positive step forward in the fight against this illegal content in the EU and globally.”

In addition, EuroISPA welcomes, and fully supports, the reference to professional, industrybacked hotlines. Hotlines provide an anonymous reporting service to Internet users who accidentally uncover child sexual abuse material on the Internet. Trained professionals evaluate it and immediately notify law enforcement authorities and ISPs for immediate and effective removal from the Internet.

BACKGROUND

The Directive on sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of children and child pornography repealing Framework Decision 2004/68/JHA was submitted by the Commission in March 2010. The European Parliament and the Council of the EU adopted a compromise text that favored a first reading adoption of the legislative proposal.