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EU Parl Watch

Where the law stands, Dossier 2024/0035(COD)

Combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child sexual abuse material and replacing Council Framework Decision 2004/68/JHA (recast)

· First reading

A proposed EU law. Parliament and the Council must agree on the same text: Parliament adopts its position, then negotiates with the Council.

Where it stands

Negotiations with the Council

Parliament adopted its position on 17 June 2025. Negotiations with the Council on a common text are under way (last trilogue 22 June 2026).

  1. Referred to committee(done) 25 April 2024
  2. Committee work(done) Report adopted 13 May 2025
  3. Tabled for plenary(done) 26 May 2025
  4. Plenary vote(done) Adopted 17 June 2025
  5. Negotiations with the Council Trilogue 22 June 2026
  6. Published as law(to come)

Decided in plenary

17 June 2025 · decision 2

Justice, rule of law & rights, New EU law

Combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child sexual abuse material and replacing Council Framework Decision 2004/68/JHA (recast)

Passed 599 for · 2 against · 62 abstained by an overwhelming majority

AI summary:The directive aims to harmonise criminal law across member states, addressing crimes like child sexual abuse material and grooming, and to improve detection and reporting of online abuse.

What changed

  • Latest Tabled for plenary → Adopted by Parliament

    AI summary:Adds a new offence: disseminating pornographic content without age verification tools becomes punishable by at least one year's imprisonment. The other changes are formal: updated citations to Directive 2012/29/EU and Regulation 2019/816, and minor wording or punctuation fixes.

    See the changes →

Who works on it

Lead committee
Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
Jeroen Lenaers (EPP)
Marina Kaljurand (S&D), Alexandre Varaut (Patriots), Assita Kanko (ECR), Hilde Vautmans (Renew), Saskia Bricmont (Greens), Isabel Serra Sánchez (The Left)
Committees giving an opinion

The text, version by version

Newest first.

  1. Adopted by Parliament· 17 Jun 2025

    Adopted text TA10-0116/2025

    AI summary:Parliament's amended version of the proposed directive on combating child sexual abuse and exploitation sets minimum rules for defining offences and sanctions, and strengthens prevention and victim protection.

    What changed since Report A10-0097/2025 →

  2. Tabled for plenary· 26 May 2025

    Report A10-0097/2025

    AI summary:Parliament's amended version of the proposed directive on combating child sexual abuse and exploitation updates definitions, raises penalties, and strengthens prevention and victim support.

    What changed since Draft report (LIBE) →

  3. Committee draft· 16 Apr 2024

    Draft report (LIBE)

    AI summary:This draft report proposes amendments to the proposed directive on combating child sexual abuse and exploitation, covering definitions, penalties, victim support, and prevention.

Committee opinions: Opinion (FEMM), Draft opinion (FEMM)

Timeline

Newest first.

Negotiations with the Council 5 steps

  1. 22 June 2026

    Trilogue meeting

    Negotiation between Parliament, Council and Commission on a common text.

  2. 3 March 2026

    Trilogue meeting

    Negotiation between Parliament, Council and Commission on a common text.

  3. 6 November 2025

    Trilogue meeting

    Negotiation between Parliament, Council and Commission on a common text.

  4. 23 June 2025

    Trilogue meeting

    Negotiation between Parliament, Council and Commission on a common text.

  5. 17 June 2025

    Parliament opened negotiations with the Council

    After its vote Parliament sent the file back to committee, so that its negotiators can seek a compromise text with the Council (in “trilogues”).

Plenary stage 4 steps

  1. 17 June 2025

    Plenary vote

    Sitting of 17 Jun 2025 Adopted text TA10-0116/2025Report A10-0097/2025

  2. 17 June 2025

    Debated in plenary

    MEPs debated the text in the chamber ahead of the vote.

    Sitting of 17 Jun 2025 Council / Commission text C9-0028/2024Report A10-0097/2025

  3. 11 June – 17 June 2025

    189 amendments tabled for the plenary vote

    Groups propose changes to the tabled text; each is voted on before the final vote.

    Amendments 1–185Amendment 186Amendments 187–189

  4. 26 May 2025

    Report tabled for plenary

    This is the text all MEPs vote on. Political groups can still table amendments to it.

    Report A10-0097/2025

Committee stage 8 steps

  1. 13 May 2025

    Committee vote: report adopted

    LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) voted on the amendments and adopted the report that goes to plenary.

  2. 3 March 2025

    FEMM (Women’s Rights and Gender Equality) adopted its opinion

    The opinion is attached to the report for the lead committee to consider.

    Opinion (FEMM)

  3. 30 January 2025

    Committee opinion adopted

    The opinion is attached to the report for the lead committee to consider.

    CULT-AL-765311

  4. 9 January 2025

    Draft opinion from FEMM (Women’s Rights and Gender Equality)

    An associated committee gives its view to the lead committee.

    Draft opinion (FEMM)

  5. 18 November 2024

    Committee opinion adopted

    The opinion is attached to the report for the lead committee to consider.

    JURI-AL-766640

  6. 14 November 2024

    Amendments tabled in committee (2 batches)

    Members of LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) proposed changes to the draft.

    Amendments in committee (LIBE)Amendments in committee (LIBE)

  7. 25 April 2024

    Referred to the LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) committee

    The lead committee prepares the report; FEMM (Women’s Rights and Gender Equality), CULT (Culture and Education) give an opinion.

  8. 16 April 2024

    Draft report published

    The rapporteur’s first text in LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs). Members can table amendments before the committee votes.

    Draft report (LIBE)

Official record: Legislative Observatory, 2024/0035(COD)